Songs
Gekämpft hat meine Barke
by Robert Schumann From Sieben Lieder von Elisabeth Kulmann (1851) Op. 104 29.v– 5.vi.1851
Gekämpft hat meine Barke
German source:
Elisabeth Kulmann
Gekämpft hat meine Barke
Mit der erzürnten Flut.
Ich seh’ des Himmels Marke,
Es sinkt des Meeres Wut.
Ich kann dich nicht vermeiden,
O Tod nicht meiner Wahl!
Das Ende meiner Leiden
Beginnt der Mutter Qual.
O Mutterherz, dich drücke
Dein Schmerz nicht allzu sehr!
Nur wenig Augenblicke
Trennt uns des Todes Meer.
Dort angelangt, entweiche
Ich nimmer mehr dem Strand,
Seh’ stets nach dir und reiche
Der Landenden die Hand.
My barque has struggled
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
My barque has struggled
With the angry sea.
I can see the heavens,
The ocean’s rage abates.
I cannot avoid you,
O death I did not choose!
When my suffering ends,
My mother’s grief begins.
O mother, let not sorrow
Oppress you too sorely!
Only for a few moments
Will Death’s sea keep us apart.
Once I have arrived,
I shall never leave that shore,
I shall always look in your direction
And help you land.
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Gekämpft hat meine Barke
German source:
Elisabeth Kulmann
My barque has struggled
English source:
Richard Stokes
_Wohl kurz vor ihrem Ende gedichtet. Ihr baldiger Tod scheint ihr gewiss; nur der Gedanke an die zurückbleibende Mutter macht ihr Schmerz, den tiefsten._
_Probably written shortly before her death. She seems certain of her imminent end; only the thought of the mother she leaves behind causes her profound pain._
Gekämpft hat meine Barke
My barque has struggled
Mit der erzürnten Flut.
With the angry sea.
Ich seh’ des Himmels Marke,
I can see the heavens,
Es sinkt des Meeres Wut.
The ocean’s rage abates.
Ich kann dich nicht vermeiden,
I cannot avoid you,
O Tod nicht meiner Wahl!
O death I did not choose!
Das Ende meiner Leiden
When my suffering ends,
Beginnt der Mutter Qual.
My mother’s grief begins.
O Mutterherz, dich drücke
O mother, let not sorrow
Dein Schmerz nicht allzu sehr!
Oppress you too sorely!
Nur wenig Augenblicke
Only for a few moments
Trennt uns des Todes Meer.
Will Death’s sea keep us apart.
Dort angelangt, entweiche
Once I have arrived,
Ich nimmer mehr dem Strand,
I shall never leave that shore,
Seh’ stets nach dir und reiche
I shall always look in your direction
Der Landenden die Hand.
And help you land.
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,…