Songs
Den grünen Zeigern
by Robert Schumann From Vier Husarenlieder von Nikolaus Lenau (1851) Op. 117 17–18.iii.1851
Den grünen Zeigern
German source:
Nikolaus Lenau
Den roten Wangen,
Den lustigen Geigern
Bin ich nachgegangen
Von Schenk’ zu Schenk’,
Solang’ ich denk’.
Am Tschako jetzt trag’ ich
Die grünen Äste,
Rote Wangen, die schlag’ ich
Den Feinden aufs beste,
Kanonengebrumm
Musiziert herum.
Green wine-bushes
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
Red cheeks,
Happy fiddlers—
These have I followed
From inn to inn,
For as long as I can remember.
In my shako now I wear
The green branches,
I treat the foe
To red cheeks with a will,
The roar of the cannon
Makes music all around.
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Den grünen Zeigern
German source:
Nikolaus Lenau
Green wine-bushes
English source:
Richard Stokes
Den grünen Zeigern,
Green wine-bushes,
Den roten Wangen,
Red cheeks,
Den lustigen Geigern
Happy fiddlers—
Bin ich nachgegangen
These have I followed
Von Schenk’ zu Schenk’,
From inn to inn,
Solang’ ich denk’.
For as long as I can remember.
Am Tschako jetzt trag’ ich
In my shako now I wear
Die grünen Äste,
The green branches,
Rote Wangen, die schlag’ ich
I treat the foe
Den Feinden aufs beste,
To red cheeks with a will,
Kanonengebrumm
The roar of the cannon
Musiziert herum.
Makes music all around.
Composer
Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann was a German composer and influential music critic. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers of the Romantic era. Schumann left the study of law, intending to pursue a career as a virtuoso pianist. He had been assured…
Poet
Nikolaus Lenau
Nikolaus Lenau was the nom de plume of Nikolaus Franz Niembsch Edler von Strehlenau, a German-language Austrian poet. He was born at Schadat, now Lenauheim, Romania, then in Hungary. His father, a Habsburg government official, died in 1807 in…