Songs

Ich kann’s nicht fassen, nicht glauben

by Robert Schumann From Frauenliebe und -leben (1840) Op. 42 11–12.vii.1840

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Text & Translation

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Ich kann’s nicht fassen, nicht glauben
German source: Adelbert von Chamisso

Ich kann’s nicht fassen, nicht glauben,
Es hat ein Traum mich berückt;
Wie hätt er doch unter allen
Mich Arme erhöht und beglückt?

Mir war’s, er habe gesprochen:
„Ich bin auf ewig dein“—
Mir war’s—ich träume noch immer,
Es kann ja nimmer so sein.

O lass im Traume mich sterben,
Gewieget an seiner Brust,
Den seligen Tod mich schlürfen
In Tränen unendlicher Lust.

I cannot grasp it, believe it
English translation © Richard Stokes

I cannot grasp it, believe it,
A dream has beguiled me;
How, from all women, could he
Have exalted and favoured poor me?

He said, I thought,
‘I am yours forever’,
I was, I thought, still dreaming,
After all, it can never be.

O let me, dreaming, die,
Cradled on his breast;
Let me savour blissful death
In tears of endless joy.

Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)

Ich kann’s nicht fassen, nicht glauben
German source: Adelbert von Chamisso

I cannot grasp it, believe it
English source: Richard Stokes

Ich kann’s nicht fassen, nicht glauben,
I cannot grasp it, believe it,
Es hat ein Traum mich berückt;
A dream has beguiled me;
Wie hätt er doch unter allen
How, from all women, could he
Mich Arme erhöht und beglückt?
Have exalted and favoured poor me?

Mir war’s, er habe gesprochen:
He said, I thought,
„Ich bin auf ewig dein“—
‘I am yours forever’,
Mir war’s—ich träume noch immer,
I was, I thought, still dreaming,
Es kann ja nimmer so sein.
After all, it can never be.

O lass im Traume mich sterben,
O let me, dreaming, die,
Gewieget an seiner Brust,
Cradled on his breast;
Den seligen Tod mich schlürfen
Let me savour blissful death
In Tränen unendlicher Lust.
In tears of endless joy.

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

Adelbert von Chamisso

Adelbert von Chamisso was a German poet and botanist, author of Peter Schlemihl, a famous story about a man who sold his shadow. He was commonly known in French as Adelbert de Chamisso(t) de Boncourt, a name referring to the family estate at…

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