Geisternähe
German source:
Friedrich Halm
Wie laue Frühlingsluft,
Was spielt um meine Wangen
Wie süsser Rosenduft?
Es ist dein holder Gedanke,
Der tröstend mich umspielt,
Es ist dein stilles Sehnen,
Was meine Schläfe kühlt!
Und was wie Harfen klänge
Um meine Sinne schwirrt,
Mein Name ist’s, der leise
Von deinen Lippen irrt.
Ich fühle deine Nähe!
Es ist dein Wunsch, dein Geist,
Der mich aus weiter Ferne
An deinen Busen reisst.
Close in spirit
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
Like a gentle Spring breeze,
What plays around my cheeks
Like the sweet scent of roses?
It is your dear thoughts
That comfortingly play about me,
It is your silent yearning
That cools my brow!
And the harp-like murmuring
In my mind
Is my own name softly
Escaping your lips.
I feel your presence!
It is your desire and spirit,
Drawing me from afar
Close to your heart.
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Geisternähe
German source:
Friedrich Halm
Close in spirit
English source:
Richard Stokes
Was weht um meine Schläfe
What drifts around my brow
Wie laue Frühlingsluft,
Like a gentle Spring breeze,
Was spielt um meine Wangen
What plays around my cheeks
Wie süsser Rosenduft?
Like the sweet scent of roses?
Es ist dein holder Gedanke,
It is your dear thoughts
Der tröstend mich umspielt,
That comfortingly play about me,
Es ist dein stilles Sehnen,
It is your silent yearning
Was meine Schläfe kühlt!
That cools my brow!
Und was wie Harfen klänge
And the harp-like murmuring
Um meine Sinne schwirrt,
In my mind
Mein Name ist’s, der leise
Is my own name softly
Von deinen Lippen irrt.
Escaping your lips.
Ich fühle deine Nähe!
I feel your presence!
Es ist dein Wunsch, dein Geist,
It is your desire and spirit,
Der mich aus weiter Ferne
Drawing me from afar
An deinen Busen reisst.
Close to your heart.
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
Friedrich Halm
Baron Eligius Franz Joseph von Münch-Bellinghausen (German: Eligius Franz Joseph Freiherr von Münch-Bellinghausen) was an Austrian dramatist, poet and novella writer of the Austrian Biedermeier period and beyond, and is more generally known under…