Text & Translation
Ach, die Augen sind es wieder
German source:
Heinrich Heine
Die mich einst so lieblich grüßten,
Und es sind die Lippen wieder,
Die das Leben mir versüßten.
Auch die Stimme ist es wieder,
Die ich einst so gern gehöret!
Nur ich selber bin's nicht wieder,
Bin verändert heimgekehret.
Von den weißen, schönen Armen
Fest und liebevoll umschlossen,
Lieg ich jetzt an ihrem Herzen,
Dumpfen Sinnes und verdroßen.
Yes, they are the self‑same eyes
English translation ©
Emma Lazarus
That still brighten as I greet her,
Yes, they are the self-same lips
That made all my life seem sweeter.
Yes, it is the very voice,
At whose slightest tones I faltered.
But no more the same am I;
I wend homeward strangely altered.
By the fair white arms embraced
With a close and tender passion,
Now I lie upon her heart,
Dull of brain, in cold vexation.
From _Poems and Ballads of Heinrich Heine_,
first published 1881.
Ach, die Augen sind es wieder
German source:
Heinrich Heine
Yes, they are the self‑same eyes
English source:
Emma Lazarus
Ach, die Augen sind es wieder,
Yes, they are the self-same eyes
Die mich einst so lieblich grüßten,
That still brighten as I greet her,
Und es sind die Lippen wieder,
Yes, they are the self-same lips
Die das Leben mir versüßten.
That made all my life seem sweeter.
Auch die Stimme ist es wieder,
Yes, it is the very voice,
Die ich einst so gern gehöret!
At whose slightest tones I faltered.
Nur ich selber bin's nicht wieder,
But no more the same am I;
Bin verändert heimgekehret.
I wend homeward strangely altered.
Von den weißen, schönen Armen
By the fair white arms embraced
Fest und liebevoll umschlossen,
With a close and tender passion,
Lieg ich jetzt an ihrem Herzen,
Now I lie upon her heart,
Dumpfen Sinnes und verdroßen.
Dull of brain, in cold vexation.
Composer
Nadia Boulanger
Nadia Boulanger and her immensely gifted younger sister Lili came from a family of musicians. Boulanger joined the Paris Conservatoire aged ten, studying harmony and composition, alongside private organ lessons. Gabriel Fauré, who taught her…
Poet
Heinrich Heine
Heine was born of Jewish parents. Much of his early life was influenced by the financial power of his uncle Salomon Heine, a millionaire Hamburg banker, with whom he remained on an awkward footing for many years. After he had been educated in the…