Text & Translation
Auf der Donau
German source:
Johann Mayrhofer
Alte Burgen ragen himmelan,
Tannenwälder rauschen geistergleich,
Und das Herz im Busen wird uns weich.
Denn der Menschen Werke sinken all’,
Wo ist Turm, wo Pforte, wo der Wall,
Wo sie selbst, die Starken, erzgeschirmt,
Die in Krieg und Jagden hingestürmt?
Trauriges Gestrüppe wuchert fort,
Während frommer Sage Kraft verdorrt:
Und im kleinen Kahne wird uns bang,
Wellen drohn wie Zeiten Untergang.
On the Danube
English translation ©
Richard Wigmore
old castles soar heavenwards,
pine forests stir like ghosts,
and our hearts grow faint within our breasts.
For the works of man all perish;
where now is the tower, the gate, the rampart?
Where are the mighty themselves, in their bronze
armour, who stormed forth to battle and the chase?
Mournful brushwood grows rampant
while the power of pious myth fades.
And in our little boat we grow afraid;
waves, like time, threaten doom.
Auf der Donau
German source:
Johann Mayrhofer
On the Danube
English source:
Richard Wigmore
Auf der Wellen Spiegel schwimmt der Kahn,
The boat glides on the mirror of the waves;
Alte Burgen ragen himmelan,
old castles soar heavenwards,
Tannenwälder rauschen geistergleich,
pine forests stir like ghosts,
Und das Herz im Busen wird uns weich.
and our hearts grow faint within our breasts.
Denn der Menschen Werke sinken all’,
For the works of man all perish;
Wo ist Turm, wo Pforte, wo der Wall,
where now is the tower, the gate, the rampart?
Wo sie selbst, die Starken, erzgeschirmt,
Where are the mighty themselves, in their bronze
Die in Krieg und Jagden hingestürmt?
armour, who stormed forth to battle and the chase?
Trauriges Gestrüppe wuchert fort,
Mournful brushwood grows rampant
Während frommer Sage Kraft verdorrt:
while the power of pious myth fades.
Und im kleinen Kahne wird uns bang,
And in our little boat we grow afraid;
Wellen drohn wie Zeiten Untergang.
waves, like time, threaten doom.
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
Johann Mayrhofer
Johann Baptist Mayrhofer , was an Austrian poet and librettist. He is best known for his close friendship with the composer Franz Schubert. Mayrhofer was born in Steyr, educated and Novitiate in St. Florian's Priory Upper Austria. In 1810 he began…