Im Rhein, im heiligen Strome
German source:
Heinrich Heine
Da spiegelt sich in den Well’n
Mit seinem grossen Dome,
Das grosse, heilige Köln.
Im Dom da steht ein Bildnis,
Auf gold’nem Leder gemalt;
In meines Lebens Wildnis
Hat’s freundlich hineingestrahlt.
Es schweben Blumen und Eng’lein
Um unsre liebe Frau;
Die Augen, die Lippen, die Wäng’lein,
Die gleichen der Liebsten genau.
In the Rhine, in the holy river
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
Mirrored in its waves,
With its great cathedral,
Stands great and holy Cologne.
In the cathedral hangs a picture,
Painted on gilded leather;
Into my life’s wilderness
It has cast its friendly rays.
Flowers and cherubs hover
Around Our beloved Lady;
Her eyes, her lips, her cheeks
Are the image of my love’s.
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Im Rhein, im heiligen Strome
German source:
Heinrich Heine
In the Rhine, in the holy river
English source:
Richard Stokes
Im Rhein, im heiligen Strome,
In the Rhine, in the holy river,
Da spiegelt sich in den Well’n
Mirrored in its waves,
Mit seinem grossen Dome,
With its great cathedral,
Das grosse, heilige Köln.
Stands great and holy Cologne.
Im Dom da steht ein Bildnis,
In the cathedral hangs a picture,
Auf gold’nem Leder gemalt;
Painted on gilded leather;
In meines Lebens Wildnis
Into my life’s wilderness
Hat’s freundlich hineingestrahlt.
It has cast its friendly rays.
Es schweben Blumen und Eng’lein
Flowers and cherubs hover
Um unsre liebe Frau;
Around Our beloved Lady;
Die Augen, die Lippen, die Wäng’lein,
Her eyes, her lips, her cheeks
Die gleichen der Liebsten genau.
Are the image of my love’s.
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
Heinrich Heine
Heine was born of Jewish parents. Much of his early life was influenced by the financial power of his uncle Salomon Heine, a millionaire Hamburg banker, with whom he remained on an awkward footing for many years. After he had been educated in the…