Songs

Lied

by Franz Schubert

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Text & Translation

Lied
German source: Stolberg-Stolberg, Graf zu

Des Lebens Tag ist schwer und schwühl,
Des Todes Atem leicht und kühl,
Er wehet freundlich uns hinab,
Wie welkes Laub in’s stille Grab.

Es scheint der Mond, es fällt der Tau
Auf’s Grab wie auf die Blumenau;
Auch fällt der Freunde Trän hinein
Erhellt von sanfter Hoffnung Schein.

Uns sammelt alle, klein und gross.
Die Mutter Erd’ in ihren Schoss;
O säh’n wir ihr ins Angesicht,
Wir scheuten ihren Busen nicht!

Song 'Mother Earth'
English translation © Richard Wigmore

Life’s day is heavy and sultry,
the breath of death is light and cool;
fondly it wafts us down,
like withered leaves, into the silent grave.

The moon shines, the dew falls
on the grave as on the flowery meadow;
the tears of friends also fall,
lit by the gleam of gentle hope.

Mother Earth gathers us all, great and small,
in her lap;
if we would only look upon her face
we should not fear her bosom.

Lied
German source: Stolberg-Stolberg, Graf zu

Song 'Mother Earth'
English source: Richard Wigmore

Des Lebens Tag ist schwer und schwühl,
Life’s day is heavy and sultry,
Des Todes Atem leicht und kühl,
the breath of death is light and cool;
Er wehet freundlich uns hinab,
fondly it wafts us down,
Wie welkes Laub in’s stille Grab.
like withered leaves, into the silent grave.

Es scheint der Mond, es fällt der Tau
The moon shines, the dew falls
Auf’s Grab wie auf die Blumenau;
on the grave as on the flowery meadow;
Auch fällt der Freunde Trän hinein
the tears of friends also fall,
Erhellt von sanfter Hoffnung Schein.
lit by the gleam of gentle hope.

Uns sammelt alle, klein und gross.
Mother Earth gathers us all, great and small,
Die Mutter Erd’ in ihren Schoss;
in her lap;
O säh’n wir ihr ins Angesicht,
if we would only look upon her face
Wir scheuten ihren Busen nicht!
we should not fear her bosom.

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

Stolberg-Stolberg, Graf zu

Friedrich Leopold Graf zu Stolberg-Stolberg, was a German poet, lawyer and translator born at Bramstedt in Holstein (then a part of Denmark). Friedrich Leopold belonged to a cadet branch of the Stolberg family. He was born the son of a Danish…

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