Klage an den Mond
(1816)
German source:
Ludwig Christoph Heinrich Hölty
Durch Eichengrün,
Das Kühlung gab,
Auf mich herab,
O Mond, und lachte Ruh’
Mir frohem Knaben zu.
Wenn jetzt dein Licht
Durch’s Fenster bricht,
Lacht’s keine Ruh’
Mir Jüngling zu,
Sieht’s meine Wange blass,
Mein Auge tränennass.
Bald, lieber Freund,
Ach bald bescheint
Dein Silberschein
Den Leichenstein,
Der meine Asche birgt,
Des Jünglings Asche birgt!
Lament 'to the Moon'
English translation ©
Richard Wigmore
shone down on me
through the green oaks
that gave cool shade,
O moon, and, smiling, shed peace
on me, a happy youth.
When now your light
breaks through the window,
no peace smiles on me,
now a young man;
it sees my cheeks pale,
my eyes moist with tears.
Soon, dear friend,
soon your silver light
will shine
on the tombstone
that hides my ashes,
the young man’s ashes.
Klage an den Mond
(1816)
German source:
Ludwig Christoph Heinrich Hölty
Lament 'to the Moon'
English source:
Richard Wigmore
Dein Silber schien
Your silver
Durch Eichengrün,
shone down on me
Das Kühlung gab,
through the green oaks
Auf mich herab,
that gave cool shade,
O Mond, und lachte Ruh’
O moon, and, smiling, shed peace
Mir frohem Knaben zu.
on me, a happy youth.
Wenn jetzt dein Licht
When now your light
Durch’s Fenster bricht,
breaks through the window,
Lacht’s keine Ruh’
no peace smiles on me,
Mir Jüngling zu,
now a young man;
Sieht’s meine Wange blass,
it sees my cheeks pale,
Mein Auge tränennass.
my eyes moist with tears.
Bald, lieber Freund,
Soon, dear friend,
Ach bald bescheint
soon your silver light
Dein Silberschein
will shine
Den Leichenstein,
on the tombstone
Der meine Asche birgt,
that hides my ashes,
Des Jünglings Asche birgt!
the young man’s ashes.
Composer
Franz Schubert
Franz Peter Schubert was an late Classical and early Romantic composer. He produced a vast oeuvre during his short life, composing more the 600 vocal works (largely Lieder), and well as several symphonies, operas, and a large body of piano music. He…
Poet
Ludwig Christoph Heinrich Hölty
Ludwig Heinrich Christoph Hölty, was German poet who is considered the most gifted lyric poet of the Göttinger Hain, a group of young poets who saw themselves as heirs of the great lyric poet Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock and whose work was…