An die Nachtigall
German source:
Elisabeth Kulmann
Liebe Nachtigall!
Dein Gesang erklinge
Schmetternd überall.
Flur und Waldung lauschet,
Alles hört dir zu,
Nicht ein Blättchen rauschet,
Bleiben all’ in Ruh.
Hör’ ich recht, so brauset
Minder jetzt der Bach,
Da hier stille hauset,
Läßt sein Toben nach.
To the nightingale
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
Dear nightingale!
Let your song ring out
All around.
Meadow and woodland hearken,
All creatures listen to you,
Not a single leaf is stirring,
All are at rest.
If I listen, the brook
Now roars less loud,
Since silence reigns here,
Its raging abates.
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
An die Nachtigall
German source:
Elisabeth Kulmann
To the nightingale
English source:
Richard Stokes
Bleibe hier und singe,
Stay here and sing,
Liebe Nachtigall!
Dear nightingale!
Dein Gesang erklinge
Let your song ring out
Schmetternd überall.
All around.
Flur und Waldung lauschet,
Meadow and woodland hearken,
Alles hört dir zu,
All creatures listen to you,
Nicht ein Blättchen rauschet,
Not a single leaf is stirring,
Bleiben all’ in Ruh.
All are at rest.
Hör’ ich recht, so brauset
If I listen, the brook
Minder jetzt der Bach,
Now roars less loud,
Da hier stille hauset,
Since silence reigns here,
Läßt sein Toben nach.
Its raging abates.
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
Elisabeth Kulmann
Elisabeth Kulmann was Russian, German and Italian poet and translator. She was born in the Russian Empire in a large family of Boris Fedorovich, and Mary (née Rosenberg) Kulmann, of German origin. Father, collegiate councilor and a retired captain,…