'Herbst' performed by James Atkinson & Anna Tilbrook as part of the Forgotten Voices lecture-recital series, curated by Kitty Whately and Natasha Loges, and produced in collaboration with SWAP'ra (Supporting Women and Parents in Opera). Filmed by TallWall Media, at Trinity College, Oxford, as part of the Oxford Lieder Spring Song Festival 2022.
'Herbst' performed by Kitty Whately & Joseph Middleton, on their album 'Befreit - A Soul Surrendered' released in February 2023. Listen here on Spotify.
Text & Translation
Herbst
German source:
Johanna Müller-Hermann (1878- 1941)
daß so früh du gehst zur Ruh‘?
Abendwind mit leisem Schauer
Weht mir Herbstesodem zu.
In den Lüften schwärmen Schwalben,
sie lehren ihre Jungen,
im Flug das Sonnenland erreichen,
O, o lehrten sie’s auch mich!
Wann meiner Seele tiefes Sehnen,
wann wirst du stiller?
Auf den Wellen meines Bächleins
Seh‘ ich welke Blätter treiben.
Dämmerschleier sinken nieder,
und es dunkelt mir im Herzen.
Autumn
English translation ©
Natasha Loges
that you go to rest so early?
The evening wind, with a quiet shudder,
Blows autumn breath towards me.
Swallows swarm in the air,
they teach their young
to fly to sunlit lands,
Oh, oh if they taught me, too!
When, deep longing of my soul,
when will you be calmer?
On the waves of my brook
I see withered leaves drifting.
Veils of twilight fall,
and my heart falls dark.
Herbst
German source:
Johanna Müller-Hermann (1878- 1941)
Autumn
English source:
Natasha Loges
Sonne, bist du müd‘ geworden,
Sun, have you beome weary
daß so früh du gehst zur Ruh‘?
that you go to rest so early?
Abendwind mit leisem Schauer
The evening wind, with a quiet shudder,
Weht mir Herbstesodem zu.
Blows autumn breath towards me.
In den Lüften schwärmen Schwalben,
Swallows swarm in the air,
sie lehren ihre Jungen,
they teach their young
im Flug das Sonnenland erreichen,
to fly to sunlit lands,
O, o lehrten sie’s auch mich!
Oh, oh if they taught me, too!
Wann meiner Seele tiefes Sehnen,
When, deep longing of my soul,
wann wirst du stiller?
when will you be calmer?
Auf den Wellen meines Bächleins
On the waves of my brook
Seh‘ ich welke Blätter treiben.
I see withered leaves drifting.
Dämmerschleier sinken nieder,
Veils of twilight fall,
und es dunkelt mir im Herzen.
and my heart falls dark.
Composer
Johanna Müller-Hermann
Study event exploring the life and work of Johanna Müller-Hermann. Filmed in 2022 by TallWall Media. COMPOSER BIOGRAPHY Johanna Müller-Hermann (1868 -1941), also called Müller-Martini, was an Austrian composer who studied with Guido Adler and…
Poet
Johanna Müller-Hermann (1878- 1941)
Johannah Müller-Hermann's composer / poet biography is available here.