Die Vögel
German source:
Friedrich von Schlegel
Zu schweben, zu singen;
Von glänzender Höhe
Zur Erde zu blicken!
Die Menschen sind töricht,
Sie können nicht fliegen;
Sie jammern in Nöten,
Wir flattern gen Himmel.
Der Jäger will töten,
Dem Früchte wir pickten;
Wir müssen ihn höhnen,
Und Beute gewinnen.
The birds
English translation ©
Richard Wigmore
to soar and to sing,
to look down on the earth
from the radiant heights!
Men are foolish:
they cannot fly.
They lament in their distress;
we fly up to the heavens.
The huntsman whose fruit we pecked
wants to kill us;
but we should mock him
and snatch our spoils.
Die Vögel
German source:
Friedrich von Schlegel
The birds
English source:
Richard Wigmore
Wie lieblich und fröhlich,
How delightful and exhilarating it is
Zu schweben, zu singen;
to soar and to sing,
Von glänzender Höhe
to look down on the earth
Zur Erde zu blicken!
from the radiant heights!
Die Menschen sind töricht,
Men are foolish:
Sie können nicht fliegen;
they cannot fly.
Sie jammern in Nöten,
They lament in their distress;
Wir flattern gen Himmel.
we fly up to the heavens.
Der Jäger will töten,
The huntsman whose fruit we pecked
Dem Früchte wir pickten;
wants to kill us;
Wir müssen ihn höhnen,
but we should mock him
Und Beute gewinnen.
and snatch our spoils.
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
Friedrich von Schlegel
Karl Wilhelm Friedrich (after 1814: von) Schlegel was a German poet, literary critic, philosopher, philologist and indologist. With his older brother, August Wilhelm Schlegel, he was one of the main figures of the Jena romantics. He was a zealous…
Performances
Previously performed at:
- 6. Cinderella: Clara Orif & Jack Redman 22 Apr 2023
- 21. Nature's Musicians 11 Oct 2021