Songs
An den Sonnenschein
by Robert Schumann From Sechs Gedichte aus dem Liederbuch eines Malers (1840) Op. 36 22–23.vii & viii.1840
An den Sonnenschein
German source:
Robert Reinick
Wie scheinst du mir ins Herz hinein,
Weckst drinnen lauter Liebeslust,
Daß mir so enge wird die Brust!
Und enge wird mir Stub’ und Haus,
Und wenn ich lauf zum Tor hinaus,
Da lockst du gar ins frische Grün
Die allerschönsten Mädchen hin!
O Sonnenschein! Du glaubest wohl,
Daß ich wie du es machen soll,
Der jede schmucke Blume küßt,
Die eben nur sich dir erschließt?
Hast doch so lang die Welt erblickt,
Und weißt, daß sich’s für mich nicht schickt;
Was machst du mir denn solche Pein?
O Sonnenschein! o Sonnenschein!
To the sunshine
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
How you shine into my heart,
Waking there such sheer love
That my breast becomes constricted!
House and room become constricted too,
And when I run out through the gate,
I see you’ve tempted the loveliest girls
Out into the fresh green countryside!
O sunshine! Do you really think
I should follow your example,
You that kiss all the lovely flowers
That only open to your caress?
But you have observed the world so long
And know that this does not become me;
So why do you torment me so?
O sunshine! O sunshine!
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
An den Sonnenschein
German source:
Robert Reinick
To the sunshine
English source:
Richard Stokes
O Sonnenschein, o Sonnenschein!
O sunshine! O sunshine!
Wie scheinst du mir ins Herz hinein,
How you shine into my heart,
Weckst drinnen lauter Liebeslust,
Waking there such sheer love
Daß mir so enge wird die Brust!
That my breast becomes constricted!
Und enge wird mir Stub’ und Haus,
House and room become constricted too,
Und wenn ich lauf zum Tor hinaus,
And when I run out through the gate,
Da lockst du gar ins frische Grün
I see you’ve tempted the loveliest girls
Die allerschönsten Mädchen hin!
Out into the fresh green countryside!
O Sonnenschein! Du glaubest wohl,
O sunshine! Do you really think
Daß ich wie du es machen soll,
I should follow your example,
Der jede schmucke Blume küßt,
You that kiss all the lovely flowers
Die eben nur sich dir erschließt?
That only open to your caress?
Hast doch so lang die Welt erblickt,
But you have observed the world so long
Und weißt, daß sich’s für mich nicht schickt;
And know that this does not become me;
Was machst du mir denn solche Pein?
So why do you torment me so?
O Sonnenschein! o Sonnenschein!
O sunshine! O sunshine!
Composer
Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann was a German composer and influential music critic. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers of the Romantic era. Schumann left the study of law, intending to pursue a career as a virtuoso pianist. He had been assured…
Poet
Robert Reinick
Robert Reinick was a German painter and poet, associated with the Düsseldorf school of painting. One of his poems, Dem Vaterland, was set to music by Hugo Wolf. Reinick was born in Danzig (Gdańsk) and died in Dresden. Taken from Wikipedia. To view…