Songs
Des Buben Schützenlied
by Robert Schumann From Lieder-Album für die Jugend (1849) Op. 79 21.iv–13.v.1849
Des Buben Schützenlied
German source:
Friedrich von Schiller
Durch Gebirg und Tal
Kommt der Schütz gezogen
Früh am Morgenstrahl.
Wie im Reich der Lüfte
König ist der Weih,—
Durch Gebirg und Klüfte
Herrscht der Schütze frei.
Ihm gehört das Weite,
Was sein Pfeil erreicht,
Das ist seine Beute,
Was da kreucht und fleugt.
The Boy's Hunting Song
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
Through mountains and valleys
The archer goes his way
In the early light of dawn.
As in the breezes’ realm,
The kite is king,
So, over peak and gorge,
The archer holds sway.
The wide spaces belong to him,
Whatever his arrow hits,
That is his prey,
Be it bird or beast.
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Des Buben Schützenlied
German source:
Friedrich von Schiller
The Boy's Hunting Song
English source:
Richard Stokes
Mit dem Pfeil, dem Bogen
With the arrow, with the bow,
Durch Gebirg und Tal
Through mountains and valleys
Kommt der Schütz gezogen
The archer goes his way
Früh am Morgenstrahl.
In the early light of dawn.
Wie im Reich der Lüfte
As in the breezes’ realm,
König ist der Weih,—
The kite is king,
Durch Gebirg und Klüfte
So, over peak and gorge,
Herrscht der Schütze frei.
The archer holds sway.
Ihm gehört das Weite,
The wide spaces belong to him,
Was sein Pfeil erreicht,
Whatever his arrow hits,
Das ist seine Beute,
That is his prey,
Was da kreucht und fleugt.
Be it bird or beast.
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
Friedrich von Schiller
Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller was a German poet, philosopher, physician, historian, and playwright. During the last seventeen years of his life (1788–1805), Schiller struck up a productive, if complicated, friendship with the already…