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Glossary entry

German term or phrase:

eine hohe Kunst

English translation:

(It takes) a touch of genius

Added to glossary by Diana Loos
Mar 5, 2008 16:23
16 yrs ago
German term

eine hohe Kunst

German to English Art/Literary Music
I'm translating information about concert programmes for a website. I simply can't find the right turn of phrase. Here's the context: "Jahrhundertealte Partituren so authentisch wie möglich zu neuem Leben zu erwecken, ist eine hohe Kunst. " TIA for all ideas!
Proposed translations (English)
3 +1 (It takes) a touch of genius
4 +14 a fine art
3 +6 [requires] the touch of a virtuouso
2 +4 an art form
4 +1 outstanding skills
4 a creation of a genius/a truly artistic creation
4 -1 a higher art

Proposed translations

+1
22 hrs
Selected

(It takes) a touch of genius

As suggested by Ken, you could turn the sentence around. I would start with "It takes a touch of genius to..."

I agree with Kieran that the expression "hohe Kunst" is used rather loosely here (it's a rather common expression in German) and a specific reference to 'art' in the translation is not essential.

"It takes a touch of genius to bring a twelfth-century intellectual to life in this way."
http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/more_reviews.asp?ref=9780...

"It takes a touch of genius to sum up Beckett, the gloomiest of modern playwrights, in a laugh."
http://www.ezrabuzzington.com/reviews.htm
Peer comment(s):
agree Lancashireman : This answer is a 'tour de force'. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/tour de force
9 hrs
...music to my ears, maestro.
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "This answer really does hit the sopt. Thanks to everyone for the stimulating discussion - !"
+14
1 min

a fine art

That's easy.
Peer comment(s):
agree GeorginaW (X)
6 mins
Thanks, Georgina!
agree Antoinette-M. Sixt Ruth : Antoinette-M. Sixt Ruth
7 mins
Thanks, Antoinette-M.
agree Rahel H.
10 mins
Thanks, Rahel!
agree Hilary Davies Shelby
11 mins
Thanks, Hilary!
agree Ken McKerrow : I would say that if mainly the orchestra is being advertised, but I would be inclined to Colin's phrase if a special conductor, singer, or other individual is the main attraction.
11 mins
Thanks, Sprachkunst!
agree Damian Harrison (X) : With Sprachkunst
25 mins
Thanks, Damian!
agree Marnen Laibow-Koser : Looks good. Or perhaps "a great art".
35 mins
Thanks, Marnen!
agree Ulrike Kraemer : with Sprachkunst
50 mins
Thanks, LittleBalu!
agree sappho : fine, rather that great captures the nature of the undertaking
1 hr
Thanks, Sappho!
agree Stefan Boxhorn
3 hrs
Thanks, Stefan!
agree Kathi Stock
3 hrs
Thanks, Kathi !
neutral Lancashireman : Sorry to rain on your parade but, despite your 11 agrees so far (and still growing), I don’t think that an answer given in one minute flat is necessarily going to satisfy an asker whose profile states ‘Music from Albinoni to Zimmermann’.
4 hrs
A few raindrops never hurt. Thanks for your interest.
agree Kinga Elsewesi-Korcsmaros
4 hrs
Thanks, Kinga!
agree Steffen Walter : @ Andrew: Care to comment on the content of the answer, instead of referring to (largely) irrelevant side issues?
16 hrs
Thanks, Steffen. IMO that was a simple, straightforward, puristic translation.
agree Amphyon
20 hrs
Something went wrong...
+1
7 mins

outstanding skills


...are required...

Peer comment(s):
agree Beatriz Galiano (X)
19 hrs
Something went wrong...
-1
1 hr

a higher art

Why wouldn't the obvious literal translation work here?
Peer comment(s):
disagree Ken McKerrow : A very literal translation would be ''a high art''; ''higher'' would be "hoehere". "A high art" doesn't really have a specific meaning in English, thus not the best for a short publicity text.
14 mins
Maybe it isn't the exact literal translation, but I do believe it fits the text. The Term "higher art" or a "higher form of art" is used often in advertising and is very catchy.linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0263237300000803 www.statesman.com/blog
Something went wrong...
+4
5 hrs

an art form

...is a real art form/...is an art form in itself

Just playing with the art theme!



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 hrs (2008-03-05 21:29:36 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"requires a finely-tuned talent"
(OK, so that's pushing it a little, but I couldn't resist! ;-))

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 hrs (2008-03-05 21:30:15 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"is a project on a major scale"

(Thank you, I'm here all week ;-)).
Peer comment(s):
agree Steffen Walter : ... is an art in itself?
11 hrs
i like it!
agree Colin Rowe : I can tell you had fun with this one!
11 hrs
heheh thanks ;-)
agree Kieran McCann : I think this is better than 'fine art' which is too specific and not particularly relevant here anyway
13 hrs
Thanks Kieran!
agree Lancashireman : Some good options here, Hil. Also using your space to respond to Steffen (hope you don’t mind). The ‘bandwagon effect’ can often be observed on KudoZ and it is not a ‘side issue’. A 1-minute response time (‘That’s easy’) does not do this question justice.
14 hrs
Thanks A - no problem, but he can't respond back to you here, so perhaps an Asker note would be better? I personally like "fine art" - we often say it jokingly in our house for mundane things - "ah, there's a fine art to this laundry folding, ya know" ;-)
Something went wrong...
7 hrs

a creation of a genius/a truly artistic creation

my idea
Something went wrong...
+6
6 mins

[requires] the touch of a virtuouso

My suggestion

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 17 hrs (2008-03-06 09:38:22 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

For "virtuouso", please read "virtuoso"...
Peer comment(s):
agree Ulrike Kraemer : see Sprachkunst's comment above // and with Ken's comment below
45 mins
Thanks!
agree Lancashireman : If it were indeed as easy as one other contributor suggests, it is unlikely that this particular asker would have bothered posting the phrase. // Also agree with Bernhard below. 'Fine art(s)' has connotations other than musical.
2 hrs
I agree.
agree Hilary Davies Shelby : i like this one, too, but isn't it "virtuoso"?
2 hrs
Thanks! I completely missed my typo this time!
agree Bernhard Sulzer : gets across the tremendous artistry involved in this task. "Fine art" as suggested above does not. Sounds more like (one of ) the "fine arts" (IMO). And with Hillary.
3 hrs
Yes, sorry about the typo!
agree Ken Cox : exactly, and perhaps with the sentence inverted (e.g. it takes true virtuosity to...)
7 hrs
Nice idea.
agree Steffen Walter : with Ken
16 hrs
Me too!
Something went wrong...
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