Songs

An Silvia

by Franz Schubert

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Text & Translation

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An Silvia
German source: Eduard von Bauernfeld

Was ist Silvia, saget an,
Dass sie die weite Flur preist?
Schön und zart seh’ ich sie nah’n,
Auf Himmels Gunst und Spur weist,
Dass ihr alles untertan.

Ist sie schön und gut dazu?
Reiz labt wie milde Kindheit;
Ihrem Aug’ eilt Amor zu,
Dort heilt er seine Blindheit,
Und verweilt in süsser Ruh’.

Darum Silvia, tön’, o Sang,
Der holden Silvia Ehren;
Jeden Reiz besiegt sie lang,
Den Erde kann gewähren:
Kränze ihr und Saitenklang!

Who is Sylvia
English translation © William Shakespeare

Who is Silvia? what is she,
That all our swains commend her?
Holy, fair, and wise is she;
The heaven such grace did lend her,
That she might admirèd be.

Is she kind as she is fair?
For beauty lives with kindness.
Love doth to her eyes repair,
To help him of his blindness;
And, being helped, inhabits there.

Then to Silvia let us sing,
That Silvia is excelling;
She excels each mortal thing
Upon the dull earth dwelling;
To her let us garlands bring

Two Gentlemen of Verona

An Silvia
German source: Eduard von Bauernfeld

Who is Sylvia
English source: William Shakespeare

Was ist Silvia, saget an,
Who is Silvia? what is she,
Dass sie die weite Flur preist?
That all our swains commend her?
Schön und zart seh’ ich sie nah’n,
Holy, fair, and wise is she;
Auf Himmels Gunst und Spur weist,
The heaven such grace did lend her,
Dass ihr alles untertan.
That she might admirèd be.

Ist sie schön und gut dazu?
Is she kind as she is fair?
Reiz labt wie milde Kindheit;
For beauty lives with kindness.
Ihrem Aug’ eilt Amor zu,
Love doth to her eyes repair,
Dort heilt er seine Blindheit,
To help him of his blindness;
Und verweilt in süsser Ruh’.
And, being helped, inhabits there.

Darum Silvia, tön’, o Sang,
Then to Silvia let us sing,
Der holden Silvia Ehren;
That Silvia is excelling;
Jeden Reiz besiegt sie lang,
She excels each mortal thing
Den Erde kann gewähren:
Upon the dull earth dwelling;
Kränze ihr und Saitenklang!
To her let us garlands bring

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

Eduard von Bauernfeld

Baron Eligius Franz Joseph von Münch-Bellinghausen was an Austrian dramatist, poet and novella writer of the Austrian Biedermeier period and beyond, and is more generally known under his pseudonym Friedrich Halm. He was the son of a district judge…

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