Frühlingslied
German source:
Elisabeth Kulmann
Und schmücket Berg und Thal;
Schon tönen rings die Lieder
Der süßen Nachtigall!
Wie steiget hoch die Sonne
In’s Himmelblau hinauf,
Verbreitet Lust und Wonne
Auf ihrem weiten Lauf.
Es eilen Schaf’ und Rinder
Der grünen Wiese zu,
Es blickt auf’s Spiel der Kinder
Der Greis aus seiner Ruh.
Spring song
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
Adorning mountain and valley;
The sweet nightingale’s songs
Ring out all around!
How high the sun climbs
Into the heavens’ blue,
Spreading joy and rapture
In her long journey.
Sheep and oxen hasten
To the green meadow,
The old man at his rest
Looks on as children play.
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Frühlingslied
German source:
Elisabeth Kulmann
Spring song
English source:
Richard Stokes
Der Frühling kehret wieder,
Spring returns once more,
Und schmücket Berg und Thal;
Adorning mountain and valley;
Schon tönen rings die Lieder
The sweet nightingale’s songs
Der süßen Nachtigall!
Ring out all around!
Wie steiget hoch die Sonne
How high the sun climbs
In’s Himmelblau hinauf,
Into the heavens’ blue,
Verbreitet Lust und Wonne
Spreading joy and rapture
Auf ihrem weiten Lauf.
In her long journey.
Es eilen Schaf’ und Rinder
Sheep and oxen hasten
Der grünen Wiese zu,
To the green meadow,
Es blickt auf’s Spiel der Kinder
The old man at his rest
Der Greis aus seiner Ruh.
Looks on as children play.
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
Elisabeth Kulmann
Elisabeth Kulmann was Russian, German and Italian poet and translator. She was born in the Russian Empire in a large family of Boris Fedorovich, and Mary (née Rosenberg) Kulmann, of German origin. Father, collegiate councilor and a retired captain,…