Herbstlied
German source:
Siegfried August Mahlmann
Das zarte Sommerlaub.
Das Leben mit seinen Träumen
Zerfällt in Asch’ und Staub—ja, ja.
Die Vöglein im Walde sangen,
Wie schweigt der Wald jetzt still!
Die Lieb’ ist fortgegangen,
Kein Vöglein singen will—ja, ja.
Die Liebe kehrt wohl wieder,
Im lieben künft’gen Jahr,
Und alles kehrt dann wieder,
Was jetzt verklungen war.
Du Winter, sei willkommen,
Dein Kleid ist rein und neu,
Er hat den Schmuck genommen,
Den Schmuck bewahrt er treu.
Autumn Song
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
The tender summer leaves.
Life with its dreams
Falls apart in ashes and dust—yes, yes.
The little birds sang in the wood,
How the wood is silent now!
Love has departed,
No bird wishes to sing—yes, yes.
Love will return again
In the happy future,
And all things then will return
That now have died away.
Welcome, O winter,
Your raiment is pure and new,
Winter has taken beauty—
Which it will faithfully guard!
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Herbstlied
German source:
Siegfried August Mahlmann
Autumn Song
English source:
Richard Stokes
Das Laub fällt von den Bäumen,
Leaves fall from the trees,
Das zarte Sommerlaub.
The tender summer leaves.
Das Leben mit seinen Träumen
Life with its dreams
Zerfällt in Asch’ und Staub—ja, ja.
Falls apart in ashes and dust—yes, yes.
Die Vöglein im Walde sangen,
The little birds sang in the wood,
Wie schweigt der Wald jetzt still!
How the wood is silent now!
Die Lieb’ ist fortgegangen,
Love has departed,
Kein Vöglein singen will—ja, ja.
No bird wishes to sing—yes, yes.
Die Liebe kehrt wohl wieder,
Love will return again
Im lieben künft’gen Jahr,
In the happy future,
Und alles kehrt dann wieder,
And all things then will return
Was jetzt verklungen war.
That now have died away.
Du Winter, sei willkommen,
Welcome, O winter,
Dein Kleid ist rein und neu,
Your raiment is pure and new,
Er hat den Schmuck genommen,
Winter has taken beauty—
Den Schmuck bewahrt er treu.
Which it will faithfully guard!
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
Siegfried August Mahlmann
Siegfried August Mahlmann was a German poet and editor. Mahlmann was born in Leipzig, and studied law at the University of Leipzig. In his early life, he served as private tutor to a young nobleman, whom he accompanied to Göttingen and then on a…