Songs
Es leuchtet meine Liebe
by Robert Schumann From Fünf Lieder und Gesänge (1840) Op. 127 1840, 1850
Es leuchtet meine Liebe
German source:
Heinrich Heine
In ihrer dunkeln Pracht,
Wie’n Märchen traurig und trübe,
Erzählt in der Sommernacht.
Im Zaubergarten wallen
Zwei Buhlen, stumm und allein;
Es singen die Nachtigallen,
Es flimmert der Mondenschein.
Die Jungfrau steht still wie ein Bildnis,
Der Ritter vor ihr kniet.
Da kommt der Riese der Wildnis,
Die bange Jungfrau flieht.
Der Ritter sinkt blutend zur Erde,
Es stolpert der Riese nach Haus;
Wenn ich begraben werde,
Dann ist das Märchen aus.
The gleam of my love
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
In its dark splendour
Is like a tale, sad and gloomy,
Told on a summer night.
In the magic garden wander
Two lovers, silent and alone;
The nightingales are singing,
The moon is shimmering.
The maiden stands as silent as a picture,
The knight kneels down before her.
Suddenly the wild giant appears,
The terrified maiden flees.
The knight sinks bleeding to the ground,
The giant stumbles home;
And when I’m dead and buried,
This story shall be done.
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Es leuchtet meine Liebe
German source:
Heinrich Heine
The gleam of my love
English source:
Richard Stokes
Es leuchtet meine Liebe
The gleam of my love
In ihrer dunkeln Pracht,
In its dark splendour
Wie’n Märchen traurig und trübe,
Is like a tale, sad and gloomy,
Erzählt in der Sommernacht.
Told on a summer night.
Im Zaubergarten wallen
In the magic garden wander
Zwei Buhlen, stumm und allein;
Two lovers, silent and alone;
Es singen die Nachtigallen,
The nightingales are singing,
Es flimmert der Mondenschein.
The moon is shimmering.
Die Jungfrau steht still wie ein Bildnis,
The maiden stands as silent as a picture,
Der Ritter vor ihr kniet.
The knight kneels down before her.
Da kommt der Riese der Wildnis,
Suddenly the wild giant appears,
Die bange Jungfrau flieht.
The terrified maiden flees.
Der Ritter sinkt blutend zur Erde,
The knight sinks bleeding to the ground,
Es stolpert der Riese nach Haus;
The giant stumbles home;
Wenn ich begraben werde,
And when I’m dead and buried,
Dann ist das Märchen aus.
This story shall be done.
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
Heinrich Heine
Heine was born of Jewish parents. Much of his early life was influenced by the financial power of his uncle Salomon Heine, a millionaire Hamburg banker, with whom he remained on an awkward footing for many years. After he had been educated in the…