Songs

Erntelied

by Franz Schubert

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Text & Translation

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Erntelied
German source: Ludwig Christoph Heinrich Hölty

Sicheln schallen,
Ähren fallen
Unter Sichelschall;
Auf den Mädchenhüten
Zittern blaue Blüten,
Freud’ ist überall.

Sicheln klingen,
Mädchen singen
Unter Sichelklang,
Bis, vom Mond beschimmert,
Rings die Stoppel flimmert,
Tönt der Erntesang.

Alles springet,
Alles singet,
Was nur lallen kann.
Bei dem Erntemahle
Isst aus einer Schale
Knecht und Bauersmann.

Jeder scherzet,
Jeder herzet
Dann sein Liebelein.
Nach geleerten Kannen,
Gehen sie von dannen,
Singen und juchhein!

Harvest song
English translation © Richard Wigmore

Sickles echo,
ears of corn fall
to the sound of the sickles.
On the girls’ bonnets
blue flowers quiver;
joy is everywhere.

Sickles resound,
girls sing
to the sound of the sickles;
until, bathed in moonlight,
the stubble shimmers all around,
and the harvest song rings out.

All leap about,
all who can utter a sound
sing out.
At the harvest feast
the farmer and his labourer
eat from the same bowl.

Then every man teases
and hugs
his sweetheart.
When the tankards are empty
they go off,
singing and shouting with joy.

Erntelied
German source: Ludwig Christoph Heinrich Hölty

Harvest song
English source: Richard Wigmore

Sicheln schallen,
Sickles echo,
Ähren fallen
ears of corn fall
Unter Sichelschall;
to the sound of the sickles.
Auf den Mädchenhüten
On the girls’ bonnets
Zittern blaue Blüten,
blue flowers quiver;
Freud’ ist überall.
joy is everywhere.

Sicheln klingen,
Sickles resound,
Mädchen singen
girls sing
Unter Sichelklang,
to the sound of the sickles;
Bis, vom Mond beschimmert,
until, bathed in moonlight,
Rings die Stoppel flimmert,
the stubble shimmers all around,
Tönt der Erntesang.
and the harvest song rings out.

Alles springet,
All leap about,
Alles singet,
all who can utter a sound
Was nur lallen kann.
sing out.
Bei dem Erntemahle
At the harvest feast
Isst aus einer Schale
the farmer and his labourer
Knecht und Bauersmann.
eat from the same bowl.

Jeder scherzet,
Then every man teases
Jeder herzet
and hugs
Dann sein Liebelein.
his sweetheart.
Nach geleerten Kannen,
When the tankards are empty
Gehen sie von dannen,
they go off,
Singen und juchhein!
singing and shouting with joy.

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

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…

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