Ins Freie
German source:
Wilfried von der Neun
Es schlägt das Herz mit lautem Schall,
Und was da schallt, sind Lieder!
Aus düstrer Mauern bangem Ring
Flieg’ ich ins Weite froh und flink:
Da atm’ ich Wonne wieder!
Da flattert aus der offnen Brust
Die Sehnsucht nach verrauschter Lust
Und nach gehoffter Wonne:
Die Winde tragen’s himmelan,
Die Gräslein geben Fürbitt’ dran,
Sich neigend in der Sonne.
Into the open
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
My heart beats loudly,
And what it beats are songs!
From the fearful circle of gloomy walls
I fly far away, happy and alert:
There I can breathe in joy again!
Then from the liberated heart
A desire for vanished pleasure
And hoped-for delight flutters away:
The winds bear it heavenwards,
The grasses offer up their prayers,
Inclining their heads in the sun.
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Ins Freie
German source:
Wilfried von der Neun
Into the open
English source:
Richard Stokes
Mir ist’s so eng allüberall!
I feel so constricted wherever I go!
Es schlägt das Herz mit lautem Schall,
My heart beats loudly,
Und was da schallt, sind Lieder!
And what it beats are songs!
Aus düstrer Mauern bangem Ring
From the fearful circle of gloomy walls
Flieg’ ich ins Weite froh und flink:
I fly far away, happy and alert:
Da atm’ ich Wonne wieder!
There I can breathe in joy again!
Da flattert aus der offnen Brust
Then from the liberated heart
Die Sehnsucht nach verrauschter Lust
A desire for vanished pleasure
Und nach gehoffter Wonne:
And hoped-for delight flutters away:
Die Winde tragen’s himmelan,
The winds bear it heavenwards,
Die Gräslein geben Fürbitt’ dran,
The grasses offer up their prayers,
Sich neigend in der Sonne.
Inclining their heads in the sun.
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…
