Songs

Klage

by Johannes Brahms From Fünf Lieder (Op. 105) (1886)

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Text & Translation

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Klage
German source: Anon.

Feins Liebchen, trau du nicht,
Daß er dein Herz nicht bricht!
Schön Worte will er geben,
Es kostet dein jung Leben,
Glaubs sicherlich!

Ich werde nimmer froh,
Denn mir ging es also:
Die Blätter vom Baum gefallen
Mit den schönen Worten allen,
Ist Winterzeit!

Es ist jetzt Winterzeit,
Die Vögelein sind weit,
Die mir im Lenz gesungen,
Mein Herz ist mir gesprungen
Vor Liebesleid.

Lament
English translation © Richard Stokes

Dearest, do not trust him,
Then he won’t break your heart,
He’ll speak fine words,
They’ll cost you your young life,
Believe me!

I’ll never be happy again,
For that is what happened:
The leaves have fallen from the tree
With all those fine words,
It’s winter!

Now it’s winter,
The little birds are far distant
That sang to me in spring,
My heart is broken
With the sorrow of love.

Translation © Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)

Klage
German source: Anon.

Lament
English source: Richard Stokes

Feins Liebchen, trau du nicht,
Dearest, do not trust him,
Daß er dein Herz nicht bricht!
Then he won’t break your heart,
Schön Worte will er geben,
He’ll speak fine words,
Es kostet dein jung Leben,
They’ll cost you your young life,
Glaubs sicherlich!
Believe me!

Ich werde nimmer froh,
I’ll never be happy again,
Denn mir ging es also:
For that is what happened:
Die Blätter vom Baum gefallen
The leaves have fallen from the tree
Mit den schönen Worten allen,
With all those fine words,
Ist Winterzeit!
It’s winter!

Es ist jetzt Winterzeit,
Now it’s winter,
Die Vögelein sind weit,
The little birds are far distant
Die mir im Lenz gesungen,
That sang to me in spring,
Mein Herz ist mir gesprungen
My heart is broken
Vor Liebesleid.
With the sorrow of love.

Composer

Johannes Brahms

Johannes Brahms (7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, pianist, and conductor of the Romantic period. Born in Hamburg into a Lutheran family, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Vienna.  Brahms has been considered, by his…

Poet

Performances

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