Songs

Einsamkeit

by Robert Schumann From Sechs Gedichte und Requiem (1850) Op. 90 1–5.viii.1850

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Text & Translation

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Einsamkeit
German source: Nikolaus Lenau

Wild verwachs’ne dunkle Fichten,
Leise klagt die Quelle fort;
Herz, das ist der rechte Ort
Für dein schmerzliches Verzichten!

Grauer Vogel in den Zweigen,
Einsam deine Klage singt,
Und auf deine Frage bringt
Antwort nicht des Waldes Schweigen.

Wenn’s auch immer Schweigen bliebe,
Klage, klage fort; es weht,
Der dich höret und versteht,
Stille hier der Geist der Liebe.

Nicht verloren hier im Moose,
Herz, dein heimlich Weinen geht,
Deine Liebe Gott versteht,
Deine tiefe, hoffnungslose!

Solitude
English translation © Richard Stokes

A wild tangle of dark spruce,
The fountain's soft and ceaseless lament;
Heart, this is a fitting place
For your painful renunciation!

A grey bird alone in the branches
Sings of your sorrow,
And to your questioning
The silent forest brings no reply.

Even if silence reigned forever,
Continue, continue your lament;
The spring of love blows silently here,
It hears and understands you.

Heart, your secret weeping
Is not lost here amongst the moss.
God understands your love,
Your deep and hopeless love!

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

Einsamkeit
German source: Nikolaus Lenau

Solitude
English source: Richard Stokes

Wild verwachs’ne dunkle Fichten,
A wild tangle of dark spruce,
Leise klagt die Quelle fort;
The fountain's soft and ceaseless lament;
Herz, das ist der rechte Ort
Heart, this is a fitting place
Für dein schmerzliches Verzichten!
For your painful renunciation!

Grauer Vogel in den Zweigen,
A grey bird alone in the branches
Einsam deine Klage singt,
Sings of your sorrow,
Und auf deine Frage bringt
And to your questioning
Antwort nicht des Waldes Schweigen.
The silent forest brings no reply.

Wenn’s auch immer Schweigen bliebe,
Even if silence reigned forever,
Klage, klage fort; es weht,
Continue, continue your lament;
Der dich höret und versteht,
The spring of love blows silently here,
Stille hier der Geist der Liebe.
It hears and understands you.

Nicht verloren hier im Moose,
Heart, your secret weeping
Herz, dein heimlich Weinen geht,
Is not lost here amongst the moss.
Deine Liebe Gott versteht,
God understands your love,
Deine tiefe, hoffnungslose!
Your deep and hopeless love!

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

Nikolaus Lenau

Nikolaus Lenau was the nom de plume of Nikolaus Franz Niembsch Edler von Strehlenau, a German-language Austrian poet. He was born at Schadat, now Lenauheim, Romania, then in Hungary. His father, a Habsburg government official, died in 1807 in…

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