Songs

Licht und Liebe

by Franz Schubert

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Text & Translation

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Licht und Liebe
German source: Matthäus Casimir von Collin

Liebe ist ein süsses Licht.
Wie die Erde strebt zur Sonne,
Und zu jenen hellen Sternen
In den weiten blauen Fernen,
Strebt das Herz nach Liebeswonne:
Denn sie ist ein süsses Licht.

Sieh! wie hoch in stiller Feier
Droben helle Sterne funkeln:
von der Erde fliehn die dunkeln
Schwermutsvollen trüben Schleier.
Wehe mir, wie so trübe
Fühl ich tief mich im Gemüte,
Das in Freuden sonst erblühte,
Nun vereinsamt, ohne Liebe.

Light and Love
English translation © Richard Wigmore

Love is a sweet light.
Just as the earth aches for the sun
and those bright stars
in the distant blue expanses,
so the heart aches for love’s bliss,
for love is a sweet light.

See, high in the silent solemnity,
bright stars glitter up above:
from the earth flee the dark
heavy baleful mists.
Alas! Yet how sad I feel
deep in my soul;
once I brimmed with joy;
now I am abandoned, unloved.

Licht und Liebe
German source: Matthäus Casimir von Collin

Light and Love
English source: Richard Wigmore

Liebe ist ein süsses Licht.
Love is a sweet light.
Wie die Erde strebt zur Sonne,
Just as the earth aches for the sun
Und zu jenen hellen Sternen
and those bright stars
In den weiten blauen Fernen,
in the distant blue expanses,
Strebt das Herz nach Liebeswonne:
so the heart aches for love’s bliss,
Denn sie ist ein süsses Licht.
for love is a sweet light.

Sieh! wie hoch in stiller Feier
See, high in the silent solemnity,
Droben helle Sterne funkeln:
bright stars glitter up above:
von der Erde fliehn die dunkeln
from the earth flee the dark
Schwermutsvollen trüben Schleier.
heavy baleful mists.
Wehe mir, wie so trübe
Alas! Yet how sad I feel
Fühl ich tief mich im Gemüte,
deep in my soul;
Das in Freuden sonst erblühte,
once I brimmed with joy;
Nun vereinsamt, ohne Liebe.
now I am abandoned, unloved.

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

Matthäus Casimir von Collin

Matthäus Casimir von Collin was a leading poet in the Vienna of his time, the younger brother of the poet and playwright Heinrich Joseph von Collin.. Some of his works have been set to music by Schubert, such as Der Zwerg (D. 771), Wehmut (D. 772)…

Performances

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