Songs

An den Mond

by Franz Schubert

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Text & Translation

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An den Mond
German source: Ludwig Christoph Heinrich Hölty

Geuss, lieber Mond, geuss deine Silberflimmer
Durch dieses Buchengrün,
Wo Phantasien und Traumgestalten
Immer vor mir vorüberfliehn.

Enthülle dich, dass ich die Stätte finde,
Wo oft mein Mädchen sass,
Und oft, im Wehn des Buchbaums und der Linde,
Der goldnen Stadt vergass.

Enthülle dich, dass ich des Strauchs mich freue,
Der Kühlung ihr gerauscht,
Und einen Kranz auf jeden Anger streue,
Wo sie den Bach belauscht.


Dann, lieber Mond, dann nimm den Schleier wieder,
Und traur um deinen Freund,
Und weine durch den Wolkenflor hernieder,
Wie dein Verlassner weint!

To The Moon
English translation © Richard Wigmore

Beloved moon, shed your silver radiance 
through these green beeches,
where fancies and dreamlike images 
forever flit before me.

Unveil yourself, that I may find the spot
where my beloved sat, where often,
in the swaying branches of the beech and lime, 
she forgot the gilded town.


Unveil yourself, that I may delight in the whispering 
bushes that cooled her,
and lay a wreath on that meadow
where she listened to the brook.

Then, beloved moon, take your veil once more,
and mourn for your friend.
Weep down through the hazy clouds, 
as the one you have forsaken weeps.

An den Mond
German source: Ludwig Christoph Heinrich Hölty

To The Moon
English source: Richard Wigmore

Geuss, lieber Mond, geuss deine Silberflimmer
Beloved moon, shed your silver radiance 
Durch dieses Buchengrün,
through these green beeches,
Wo Phantasien und Traumgestalten
where fancies and dreamlike images 
Immer vor mir vorüberfliehn.
forever flit before me.

Enthülle dich, dass ich die Stätte finde,
Unveil yourself, that I may find the spot
Wo oft mein Mädchen sass,
where my beloved sat, where often,
Und oft, im Wehn des Buchbaums und der Linde,
in the swaying branches of the beech and lime, 
Der goldnen Stadt vergass.
she forgot the gilded town.

Enthülle dich, dass ich des Strauchs mich freue,

Der Kühlung ihr gerauscht,
Unveil yourself, that I may delight in the whispering 
Und einen Kranz auf jeden Anger streue,
bushes that cooled her,
Wo sie den Bach belauscht.
and lay a wreath on that meadow


Then, beloved moon, take your veil once more,
Dann, lieber Mond, dann nimm den Schleier wieder,
and mourn for your friend.
Und traur um deinen Freund,
Weep down through the hazy clouds, 
Und weine durch den Wolkenflor hernieder,
as the one you have forsaken weeps.
Wie dein Verlassner weint!

Composer

Franz Schubert

Franz Peter Schubert was an late Classical and early Romantic composer. He produced a vast oeuvre during his short life, composing more the 600 vocal works (largely Lieder), and well as several symphonies, operas, and a large body of piano music. He…

Poet

Ludwig Christoph Heinrich Hölty

Ludwig Heinrich Christoph Hölty, was German poet who is considered the most gifted lyric poet of the Göttinger Hain, a group of young poets who saw themselves as heirs of the great lyric poet Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock and whose work was…

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