Songs
In dem Mondenschein im Walde
by Felix Mendelssohn, arranged Aribert Reimann From ... oder soll es Tod bedeuten? ...
In dem Mondenschein im Walde
German source:
Heinrich Heine
Sah ich jüngst die Elfen reiten,
Ihre Hörner hört ich klingen,
Ihre Glöcklein hört ich läuten.
Ihre weissen Rösslein trugen
Goldnes Hirschgeweih und flogen
Rasch dahin; wie wilde Schwäne
Kam es durch die Luft gezogen.
Lächelnd nickte mir die Kön’gin,
Lächelnd, im Vorüberreiten.
Galt das meiner neuen Liebe?
Oder soll es Tod bedeuten?
In the moonlight of the forest
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
I saw of late the elves riding,
I heard their horns resounding,
I heard their little bells ring.
Their little white horses
Had golden antlers and flew
Quickly past; like wild swans
They came through the air.
With a smile the queen nodded to me,
With a smile she rode quickly by,
Was it to herald a new love?
Or does it signify death?
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
In dem Mondenschein im Walde
German source:
Heinrich Heine
In the moonlight of the forest
English source:
Richard Stokes
In dem Mondenschein im Walde
In the moonlight of the forest
Sah ich jüngst die Elfen reiten,
I saw of late the elves riding,
Ihre Hörner hört ich klingen,
I heard their horns resounding,
Ihre Glöcklein hört ich läuten.
I heard their little bells ring.
Ihre weissen Rösslein trugen
Their little white horses
Goldnes Hirschgeweih und flogen
Had golden antlers and flew
Rasch dahin; wie wilde Schwäne
Quickly past; like wild swans
Kam es durch die Luft gezogen.
They came through the air.
Lächelnd nickte mir die Kön’gin,
With a smile the queen nodded to me,
Lächelnd, im Vorüberreiten.
With a smile she rode quickly by,
Galt das meiner neuen Liebe?
Was it to herald a new love?
Oder soll es Tod bedeuten?
Or does it signify death?
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…