This song was recorded on the album 'Schubert Year by Year' on Stone Records, in preparation for Oxford Lieder's 2014 The Schubert Project, the first ever complete performance of Schubert's songs in a single festival. It features one song from each year of Schubert's creative life.
Click here to listen to the song with Daniel Norman and Sholto Kynoch, or click here to buy the CD from Stone Records.
Die Schatten
German source:
Matthison, Friedrich von
Wann der Vollmond über dem Walde dämmert,
Schweben eure Schatten empor
Vom stillen Ufer der Lethe.
Seid mir, Unvergessliche, froh gesegnet!
Du vor allen, welcher im Buch der Menschheit
Mir der Hieroglyphen so viel gedeutet,
Redlicher Bonnet!
Längst verschlürft im Strudel der Brandung
Wäre wohl mein Fahrzeug,
Oder am Riff zerschmettert, hättet ihr nicht,
Genien gleich, im Sturme schirmend gewaltet!
Wiederseh’n, Wiederseh’n der Liebenden!
Wo der Heimat goldne Sterne leuchten,
O du der armen Psyche, die gebunden
Im Grabtal schmachtet, himmlische Sehnsucht!
Friends, whose graves are already mossy!
English translation ©
Richard Wigmore
When the full moon rises over the forest,
your shades float up
from the silent banks of Lethe.
With joy I bless you, unforgotten creatures,
and you above all, who in the book of life
explained so many secrets to me,
honest Bonnet.
Long ago my vessel would have sunk
in the swirling surf,
or been wrecked on the reef, had you not,
like guardian spirits, protected me in the storm.
To see again those we love,
where the golden stars of the homeland shine!
O celestial longing of the poor soul
which languishes, captive, in the grave.
Die Schatten
German source:
Matthison, Friedrich von
Friends, whose graves are already mossy!
English source:
Richard Wigmore
Freunde, deren Grüfte sich schon bemoosten!
Friends, whose graves are already mossy!
Wann der Vollmond über dem Walde dämmert,
When the full moon rises over the forest,
Schweben eure Schatten empor
your shades float up
Vom stillen Ufer der Lethe.
from the silent banks of Lethe.
Seid mir, Unvergessliche, froh gesegnet!
With joy I bless you, unforgotten creatures,
Du vor allen, welcher im Buch der Menschheit
and you above all, who in the book of life
Mir der Hieroglyphen so viel gedeutet,
explained so many secrets to me,
Redlicher Bonnet!
honest Bonnet.
Längst verschlürft im Strudel der Brandung
Long ago my vessel would have sunk
Wäre wohl mein Fahrzeug,
in the swirling surf,
Oder am Riff zerschmettert, hättet ihr nicht,
or been wrecked on the reef, had you not,
Genien gleich, im Sturme schirmend gewaltet!
like guardian spirits, protected me in the storm.
Wiederseh’n, Wiederseh’n der Liebenden!
To see again those we love,
Wo der Heimat goldne Sterne leuchten,
where the golden stars of the homeland shine!
O du der armen Psyche, die gebunden
O celestial longing of the poor soul
Im Grabtal schmachtet, himmlische Sehnsucht!
which languishes, captive, in the grave.
Composer
Franz Schubert
Franz Peter Schubert was an late Classical and early Romantic composer. He produced a vast oeuvre during his short life, composing more the 600 vocal works (largely Lieder), and well as several symphonies, operas, and a large body of piano music. He…
Poet
Matthison, Friedrich von
Friedrich von Matthisson was a German poet, an early member of the German Romantic movement. His best known poem is probably Adelaide, which was set to music by Beethoven. He was born at Hohendodeleben near Magdeburg, the son of the village pastor,…