Lyrics drawn by Frank DiGiacomo from The Sunken Bell: A Fairy Play, by Gerhart Hauptmann, freely rendered into English verse by Charles Henry Meltzer, published by Doubleday, Page & Company in 1911.
In Act One we meet Rautendelein, a wood sprite, a beautiful elfin creature whom the Nickelmann loves. The Nickelmann is an elemental water spirit who lives in a well. According to Hauptmann, “He is streaming with water. Weeds cling to his head. He snorts like a seal and his eyes blink as if the sunlight hurts them.” Composer DiGiacomo’s score has softened the Nickelmann and made him more sympathetic in his hopeless attempt to win Rautendelein’s heart.
The live performance offered is by Christine Klemperer and Raymond Domenico, accompanied by Frank DiGiacomo at DiGiacomo in Concert on May 28, 1975, at the Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse, New York.
The Duet is available as a downloadable Sheet Music PDF, a live performance MP3, a piano-only MP3 rendering of the sheet music for rehearsal purposes and a synth voice and piano MP3.
LYRICS
Nickelmann:
But oh, my dear Princess Rautendelein, for thee a King’s castle
would be none too fine; I know a rare crown all of crystal so green,
in a great golden hall, thou shalt wear it, my queen.
The floor and the roof are of clear blue stone, red coral the coffers and
chests I own, for thee, for thee, for thee.
Rautendelein:
And what tho’ thy coffers of coral be wrought, life with the fishes were good for nought.
And tho’ thy king’s crown of pure sapphire should be,
thy daughters should prink* it alone for thee.
My own golden tresses are far more dear, if thou wilt in thy waters peer
thou will see that never yet a rill did flow but longed into the world of men to go.
Ah! And what tho’ thy coffers of coral be wrought,
and tho’ thy king’s crown of pure sapphire be, my own golden tresses are far more dear,
their touch a caress is. My crown is here.
Nickelmann:
Oh my dear Princess Rautendelein, for thee a crown of crystal so green,
red coffers of coral and chests I own, for thee a king’s chamber would be none too fine,
but oh my dear Princess Rautendelein, for thee a King’s castle were none too fine.
Oh my dear Princess Rautendelein, for thee a king’s chamber, were none,
were none too fine.
(* prink - to fuss over dress, to deck for show)