Die Mainacht
German source:
Ludwig Christoph Heinrich Hölty
Und sein schlummerndes Licht über den Rasen streut,
Und die Nachtigall flötet,
Wandl’ ich traurig von Busch zu Busch.
Überhüllet vom Laub, girret ein Taubenpaar
Sein Entzücken mir vor; aber ich wende mich,
Suche dunklere Schatten,
Und die einsame Träne rinnt.
Wann, o lächelndes Bild, welches wie Morgenrot
Durch die Seele mir strahlt, find’ ich auf Erden dich?
Und die einsame Träne
Bebt mir heißer die Wang’ herab.
May Night
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
And sheds its slumbering light on the grass,
And the nightingale is fluting,
I wander sadly from bush to bush.
Covered by leaves, a pair of doves
Coo to me their ecstasy; but I turn away,
Seek darker shadows,
And the lonely tear flows down.
When, O smiling vision, that shines through my soul
Like the red of dawn, shall I find you here on earth?
And the lonely tear
Quivers more ardently down my cheek.
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Die Mainacht
German source:
Ludwig Christoph Heinrich Hölty
May Night
English source:
Richard Stokes
Wann der silberne Mond durch die Gesträuche blinkt,
When the silvery moon gleams through the bushes,
Und sein schlummerndes Licht über den Rasen streut,
And sheds its slumbering light on the grass,
Und die Nachtigall flötet,
And the nightingale is fluting,
Wandl’ ich traurig von Busch zu Busch.
I wander sadly from bush to bush.
Überhüllet vom Laub, girret ein Taubenpaar
Covered by leaves, a pair of doves
Sein Entzücken mir vor; aber ich wende mich,
Coo to me their ecstasy; but I turn away,
Suche dunklere Schatten,
Seek darker shadows,
Und die einsame Träne rinnt.
And the lonely tear flows down.
Wann, o lächelndes Bild, welches wie Morgenrot
When, O smiling vision, that shines through my soul
Durch die Seele mir strahlt, find’ ich auf Erden dich?
Like the red of dawn, shall I find you here on earth?
Und die einsame Träne
And the lonely tear
Bebt mir heißer die Wang’ herab.
Quivers more ardently down my cheek.
Composer
Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms (7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, pianist, and conductor of the Romantic period. Born in Hamburg into a Lutheran family, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Vienna. Brahms has been considered, by his…
Poet
Ludwig Christoph Heinrich Hölty
Ludwig Heinrich Christoph Hölty, was German poet who is considered the most gifted lyric poet of the Göttinger Hain, a group of young poets who saw themselves as heirs of the great lyric poet Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock and whose work was…
Performances
Previously performed at:
- Gabriel Fauré 21 Oct 2024
- Gerhaher and Huber 16 Oct 2024
- 74. Mastercourse Showcase Recital: Mastercourse participants, introduced by Mark Padmore 29 Oct 2022
- 68. Mastercourse Day Five 28 Oct 2022
- 64. Mastercourse Day Four 27 Oct 2022
- 58. Mastercourse Day Three 26 Oct 2022
- 54. Mastercourse Day Two 25 Oct 2022
- 50. Mastercourse Day One 24 Oct 2022
- The Oxford Lieder Young Artist Programme Audition Recitals (Day One - Part One) 17 Mar 2022
- 26. Konstantin Krimmel: Heine, Schumann & Brahms 12 Oct 2021
- Oxford Lieder at Fairlight Hall / Helen Charlston 10 May 2020
- Song at Wolfson / Helen Charlston: Haydn, Brahms and Clara Schumann 07 May 2020
- Mastercourse Concert 27 Oct 2018
- My Heart is Like a Singing Bird: Mary Bevan, Nicky Spence & William Vann 19 Oct 2018
- Mastercourse Day One 23 Oct 2017
- Showcase Recital: Joel Williams, James Atkinson & Joao Araujo 21 Oct 2017
- Arts & Crafts: Part One 13 Oct 2017
- A Woman's Love & Life: Juliane Banse & Marcelo Amaral 21 Oct 2016