Songs

Erster Verlust

by Franz Schubert

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Text & Translation

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Erster Verlust
German source: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Ach, wer bringt die schönen Tage,
Jene Tage der ersten Liebe,
Ach, wer bringt nur eine Stunde
Jener holden Zeit zurück!
Einsam nähr’ ich meine Wunde,
Und mit stets erneuter Klage
Traur’ ich ums verlorne Glück,
Ach, wer bringt die schönen Tage,
Jene holde Zeit zurück!

First Loss
English translation © Richard Wigmore

Ah, who will bring back those fair days,
those days of first love?
Ah, who will bring back but one hour
of that sweet time?
Alone I nurture my wound
and, forever renewing my lament,
mourn my lost happiness.
Ah, who will bring back those fair days,
that sweet time?

Translations by Richard Wigmore first published by Gollancz and reprinted in the Hyperion Schubert Song Edition

Erster Verlust
German source: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

First Loss
English source: Richard Wigmore

Ach, wer bringt die schönen Tage,
Ah, who will bring back those fair days,
Jene Tage der ersten Liebe,
those days of first love?
Ach, wer bringt nur eine Stunde
Ah, who will bring back but one hour
Jener holden Zeit zurück!
of that sweet time?
Einsam nähr’ ich meine Wunde,
Alone I nurture my wound
Und mit stets erneuter Klage
and, forever renewing my lament,
Traur’ ich ums verlorne Glück,
mourn my lost happiness.
Ach, wer bringt die schönen Tage,
Ah, who will bring back those fair days,
Jene holde Zeit zurück!
that sweet time?

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

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Johann Wolfgang Goethe was a German writer and statesman. His body of work includes epic and lyric poetry written in a variety of metres and styles; prose and verse dramas; memoirs; an autobiography; literary and aesthetic criticism; treatises on…

Performances

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