Songs

Dank

by Arnold Schoenberg

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Text & Translation

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Dank
German source: Karl von Levetzow

Großes hast du mir gegeben in jenen Hochstunden,
Die für uns bestehen im Zeitlosen.
Großes hast du mir gegeben: ich danke dir!

Schönheit schenkten wir uns im stets Wachsenden,
Was ich mir vorbehielt im Raumlosen.
Schönheit schenkten wir uns: ich danke dir!

Ungewollt schufst du mir noch das Gewaltigste,
Schufst mir das Niegeahnte: den schönen Schmerz!
Tief in die Seele bohrtest du mir
Ein finsteres Schwertweh.
Dumpf nächtig trennend
Und dennoch hell winterlich leuchtend.

Schön! dreifach schön! denn von dir kam es ja!
Ungewollt schufst du mir noch das Gewaltigste,
Schufst mir das Niegeahnte: ich danke dir!

Thanks
English translation © Richard Stokes

You have given me greatness in those exalted hours
That exist for us in timelessness.
You have given me greatness: I thank you!

We gave each other ever-growing beauty
Which I reserved for myself in the infinity of space.
We gave each other beauty: I thank you!

Without intention you also created for me that which is most mighty,
Created for me what I had never surmised: beautiful sorrow!
You plunged a sharp pain
Deep into my soul,
Dividing us in gloomy night,
Yet shining with wintry brightness.

Beautiful! Thrice beautiful! For it came from you!
Without intention you also created for me that which is most mighty,
Created for me what I had never surmised: I thank you!

Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)

Dank
German source: Karl von Levetzow

Thanks
English source: Richard Stokes

Großes hast du mir gegeben in jenen Hochstunden,
You have given me greatness in those exalted hours
Die für uns bestehen im Zeitlosen.
That exist for us in timelessness.
Großes hast du mir gegeben: ich danke dir!
You have given me greatness: I thank you!

Schönheit schenkten wir uns im stets Wachsenden,
We gave each other ever-growing beauty
Was ich mir vorbehielt im Raumlosen.
Which I reserved for myself in the infinity of space.
Schönheit schenkten wir uns: ich danke dir!
We gave each other beauty: I thank you!

Ungewollt schufst du mir noch das Gewaltigste,
Without intention you also created for me that which is most mighty,
Schufst mir das Niegeahnte: den schönen Schmerz!
Created for me what I had never surmised: beautiful sorrow!
Tief in die Seele bohrtest du mir
You plunged a sharp pain
Ein finsteres Schwertweh.
Deep into my soul,
Dumpf nächtig trennend
Dividing us in gloomy night,
Und dennoch hell winterlich leuchtend.
Yet shining with wintry brightness.

Schön! dreifach schön! denn von dir kam es ja!
Beautiful! Thrice beautiful! For it came from you!
Ungewollt schufst du mir noch das Gewaltigste,
Without intention you also created for me that which is most mighty,
Schufst mir das Niegeahnte: ich danke dir!
Created for me what I had never surmised: I thank you!

Composer

Arnold Schoenberg

Arnold Franz Walter Schoenberg or Schönberg was an Austrian composer, music theorist, and painter. He was associated with the expressionist movement in German poetry and art, and leader of the Second Viennese School.

Performances

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