Songs
Im Rhein, im schönen Strome (Schumann Dichterliebe No. 6)
by Heinrich Heine From Lyrisches Intermezzo (1823) 1822-1823
Im Rhein, im schönen Strome (Schumann Dichterliebe No. 6)
German source:
Heinrich Heine
Da spiegelt sich in den Welln,
Mit seinem großen Dome,
Das große, heilge Köln.
Im Dom da steht ein Bildnis,
Auf goldenem Leder gemalt;
In meines Lebens Wildnis
Hats freundlich hineingestrahlt.
Es schweben Blumen und Englein
Um unsre liebe Frau;
Die Augen, die Lippen, die Wänglein,
Die gleichen der Liebsten genau.
On the Rhine, the beautiful river
English translation ©
Hal Draper
Its cathedral reared like a throne,
Here mirrored in waves aquiver
Stands great and holy Cologne.
An image of golden leather
Is in the cathedral here;
Into my life’s stormy weather
It beams a ray of cheer.
Around Our Lady the faces
Of flowers and angels are shown;
Her eyes and lips and graces
Are just like my darling’s own.
Translations by Hal Draper published by Oxford University Press and Suhrkamp/Insel Verlag (1984)
Im Rhein, im schönen Strome (Schumann Dichterliebe No. 6)
German source:
Heinrich Heine
On the Rhine, the beautiful river
English source:
Hal Draper
Im Rhein, im schönen Strome,
On the Rhine, the beautiful river,
Da spiegelt sich in den Welln,
Its cathedral reared like a throne,
Mit seinem großen Dome,
Here mirrored in waves aquiver
Das große, heilge Köln.
Stands great and holy Cologne.
Im Dom da steht ein Bildnis,
An image of golden leather
Auf goldenem Leder gemalt;
Is in the cathedral here;
In meines Lebens Wildnis
Into my life’s stormy weather
Hats freundlich hineingestrahlt.
It beams a ray of cheer.
Es schweben Blumen und Englein
Around Our Lady the faces
Um unsre liebe Frau;
Of flowers and angels are shown;
Die Augen, die Lippen, die Wänglein,
Her eyes and lips and graces
Die gleichen der Liebsten genau.
Are just like my darling’s own.
Composer
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…