Songs

Die Nachtigall

by Alban Berg From Sieben frühe Lieder (1907)

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Text & Translation

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Die Nachtigall
German source: Theodor Storm

Das macht, es hat die Nachtigall
Die ganze Nacht gesungen;
Da sind von ihrem süssen Schall,
Da sind in Hall und Widerhall
Die Rosen aufgesprungen.

Sie war doch sonst ein wildes Blut,
Nun geht sie tief in Sinnen;
Trägt in der Hand den Sommerhut
Und duldet still der Sonne Glut
Und weiß nicht, was beginnen.

Das macht, es hat die Nachtigall
Die ganze Nacht gesungen;
Da sind von ihrem süssen Schall,
Da sind in Hall und Widerhall
Die Rosen aufgesprungen.

The nightingale
English translation © Richard Stokes

It is because the nightingale
Has sung throughout the night,
That from the sweet sound
Of her echoing song
The roses have sprung up.

She was once a wild creature,
Now she wanders deep in thought;
In her hand a summer hat,
Bearing in silence the sun’s heat,
Not knowing what to do.

It is because the nightingale
Has sung throughout the night,
That from the sweet sound
Of her echoing song
The roses have sprung up.

Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)

Die Nachtigall
German source: Theodor Storm

The nightingale
English source: Richard Stokes

Das macht, es hat die Nachtigall
It is because the nightingale
Die ganze Nacht gesungen;
Has sung throughout the night,
Da sind von ihrem süssen Schall,
That from the sweet sound
Da sind in Hall und Widerhall
Of her echoing song
Die Rosen aufgesprungen.
The roses have sprung up.

Sie war doch sonst ein wildes Blut,
She was once a wild creature,
Nun geht sie tief in Sinnen;
Now she wanders deep in thought;
Trägt in der Hand den Sommerhut
In her hand a summer hat,
Und duldet still der Sonne Glut
Bearing in silence the sun’s heat,
Und weiß nicht, was beginnen.
Not knowing what to do.

Das macht, es hat die Nachtigall
It is because the nightingale
Die ganze Nacht gesungen;
Has sung throughout the night,
Da sind von ihrem süssen Schall,
That from the sweet sound
Da sind in Hall und Widerhall
Of her echoing song
Die Rosen aufgesprungen.
The roses have sprung up.

Composer

Alban Berg

Alban Maria Johannes Berg was an Austrian composer of the Second Viennese School. His circle included the musicians Alexander von Zemlinsky and Franz Schreker, the painter Gustav Klimt, the writer and satirist Karl Kraus, the architect Adolf Loos,…

Poet

Theodor Storm

Theodor Storm was a German writer. A major figure in German realism, he is perhaps best known his novellas Immensee and Der Schimmelreiter. Read more here.

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