Frühlingslied
German source:
Emanuel Geibel
Grüßt vom Hang der Wald mich schon,
Über mir in hohen Lüften
Schwebt der erste Lerchenton.
In den süßen Laut versunken
Wall’ ich hin durchs Saatgefild,
Das noch halb von Schlummer trunken
Sanft dem Licht entgegenschwillt.
Welch ein Sehnen! welch ein Träumen!
Ach, du möchtest vorm Verglühn
Mit den Blumen, mit den Bäumen,
Altes Herz, noch einmal blühn.
Spring song
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
The forest greets me from the hillside,
High above me in the breezes
Floats the first call of the lark.
Engrossed in that sweet sound
I wander through the field of corn,
Which, still half-drunk with sleep,
Softly swells up towards the light.
What yearning! What dreaming!
Ah, before you lose your glow, poor heart,
You would like to blossom again
With the flowers and with the trees.
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Frühlingslied
German source:
Emanuel Geibel
Spring song
English source:
Richard Stokes
Mit geheimnisvollen Düften
With mysterious fragrances
Grüßt vom Hang der Wald mich schon,
The forest greets me from the hillside,
Über mir in hohen Lüften
High above me in the breezes
Schwebt der erste Lerchenton.
Floats the first call of the lark.
In den süßen Laut versunken
Engrossed in that sweet sound
Wall’ ich hin durchs Saatgefild,
I wander through the field of corn,
Das noch halb von Schlummer trunken
Which, still half-drunk with sleep,
Sanft dem Licht entgegenschwillt.
Softly swells up towards the light.
Welch ein Sehnen! welch ein Träumen!
What yearning! What dreaming!
Ach, du möchtest vorm Verglühn
Ah, before you lose your glow, poor heart,
Mit den Blumen, mit den Bäumen,
You would like to blossom again
Altes Herz, noch einmal blühn.
With the flowers and with the trees.
Composer
Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms (7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, pianist, and conductor of the Romantic period. Born in Hamburg into a Lutheran family, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Vienna. Brahms has been considered, by his…
Poet
Emanuel Geibel
Emanuel von Geibel , German poet and playwright. He was born at Lübeck, the son of a pastor. He was originally intended for his father's profession and studied at Bonn and Berlin, but his real interests lay not in theology but in classical and…