Songs

Das Rosenband

by Richard Strauss

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Text & Translation

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Das Rosenband
German source: Klopstock, Friedrich

Im Frühlingsschatten fand ich sie;
Da band ich Sie mit Rosenbändern:
Sie fühlt’ es nicht und schlummerte.

Ich sah sie an; mein Leben hing
Mit diesem Blick an ihrem Leben:
Ich fühlt’ es wohl, und wußt’ es nicht.

Doch lispelt’ ich ihr sprachlos zu,
Und rauschte mit den Rosenbändern:
Da wachte sie vom Schlummer auf.

Sie sah mich an; ihr Leben hing
Mit diesem Blick’ an meinem Leben,
Und um uns ward Elysium.

The rose garland
English translation © Richard Stokes

I found her in the spring shade,
And bound her fast with a rose garland:
Oblivious, she slumbered on.

I gazed on her; with that gaze
My life became entwined with hers:
This I sensed, yet did not know.

I murmured wordlessly to her
And rustled the garland of roses:
Then she woke from slumber.

She gazed on me; with that gaze
Her life became entwined with mine,
And Paradise bloomed about us.

Translation © Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)

Das Rosenband
German source: Klopstock, Friedrich

The rose garland
English source: Richard Stokes

Im Frühlingsschatten fand ich sie;
I found her in the spring shade,
Da band ich Sie mit Rosenbändern:
And bound her fast with a rose garland:
Sie fühlt’ es nicht und schlummerte.
Oblivious, she slumbered on.

Ich sah sie an; mein Leben hing
I gazed on her; with that gaze
Mit diesem Blick an ihrem Leben:
My life became entwined with hers:
Ich fühlt’ es wohl, und wußt’ es nicht.
This I sensed, yet did not know.

Doch lispelt’ ich ihr sprachlos zu,
I murmured wordlessly to her
Und rauschte mit den Rosenbändern:
And rustled the garland of roses:
Da wachte sie vom Schlummer auf.
Then she woke from slumber.

Sie sah mich an; ihr Leben hing
She gazed on me; with that gaze
Mit diesem Blick’ an meinem Leben,
Her life became entwined with mine,
Und um uns ward Elysium.
And Paradise bloomed about us.

Composer

Richard Strauss

Richard Georg Strauss was a German composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras. He is particularly well-known for his operas, Lieder, and tone poems.  Read more here.

Poet

Klopstock, Friedrich

Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock  was a German poet. His best known work is his epic poem Der Messias (“The Messiah”). His service to German literature was to open it up to exploration outside of French models. Klopstock was born at Quedlinburg, the…

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