Text & Translation
Das Mädchen
German source:
Friedrich von Schlegel
Sich der meine mir ergibt,
Um zu lindern meine Klagen,
Dass er nicht so innig liebt.
Will ich’s sagen, so entschwebt es;
Wären Töne mir gerliehen,
Flöss’ es hin in Harmonien,
Denn in jenen Tönen lebt es.
Nur die Nachtigall kann sagen,
Wie er innig sich mir giebt,
Um zu lindern meine Klagen,
Dass er nicht so innig liebt.
The Maiden
English translation ©
Richard Wigmore
shows me such ardent devotion
in order to still my complaints,
that he does not love me ardently.
When I am about to tell him, the words float away;
if the power of music were granted me
my feelings would pour out in harmonies,
for they live in music.
Only the nightingale can say
what ardent devotion he shows me
in order to still my complaints,
that he does not love me ardently.
Das Mädchen
German source:
Friedrich von Schlegel
The Maiden
English source:
Richard Wigmore
Wie so innig, möcht’ ich sagen,
I should like to say that my beloved
Sich der meine mir ergibt,
shows me such ardent devotion
Um zu lindern meine Klagen,
in order to still my complaints,
Dass er nicht so innig liebt.
that he does not love me ardently.
Will ich’s sagen, so entschwebt es;
When I am about to tell him, the words float away;
Wären Töne mir gerliehen,
if the power of music were granted me
Flöss’ es hin in Harmonien,
my feelings would pour out in harmonies,
Denn in jenen Tönen lebt es.
for they live in music.
Nur die Nachtigall kann sagen,
Only the nightingale can say
Wie er innig sich mir giebt,
what ardent devotion he shows me
Um zu lindern meine Klagen,
in order to still my complaints,
Dass er nicht so innig liebt.
that he does not love me ardently.
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
Friedrich von Schlegel
Karl Wilhelm Friedrich (after 1814: von) Schlegel was a German poet, literary critic, philosopher, philologist and indologist. With his older brother, August Wilhelm Schlegel, he was one of the main figures of the Jena romantics. He was a zealous…