Mailied
German source:
Christian Adolf Overbeck von Lübeck
Die Bäume wieder grün
Und lasst uns an dem Bache
Die kleinen Veilchen blüh’n.
Wie möchten wir so gerne
Ein Blümchen wieder seh’n
Und in die frische Ferne,
Ins grüne Freie gehn!
Komm’ mach’ es bald gelinder,
Daß alles wieder blüht,
Dann wird das Flehn der Kinder
Ein lautes Jubellied.
O komm und bring vor allem
Uns viele Rosen mit,
Bring auch viel Nachtigallen
Und schöne Kuckucks mit.
May Song
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
The trees green again,
And make the little violets
Bloom for us by the brook!
How we should love to see
A little violet again,
And journey into fresh open spaces
And go into the green outdoors!
Come, make the weather milder soon
That all things may bloom again!
Then the children’s pleading
Will turn to loud rejoicing.
O come, and above all bring us
Many roses with you,
Bring many nightingales as well
And lovely cuckoos too.
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Mailied
German source:
Christian Adolf Overbeck von Lübeck
May Song
English source:
Richard Stokes
Komm lieber Mai und mache
Come, sweet May, and turn
Die Bäume wieder grün
The trees green again,
Und lasst uns an dem Bache
And make the little violets
Die kleinen Veilchen blüh’n.
Bloom for us by the brook!
Wie möchten wir so gerne
How we should love to see
Ein Blümchen wieder seh’n
A little violet again,
Und in die frische Ferne,
And journey into fresh open spaces
Ins grüne Freie gehn!
And go into the green outdoors!
Komm’ mach’ es bald gelinder,
Come, make the weather milder soon
Daß alles wieder blüht,
That all things may bloom again!
Dann wird das Flehn der Kinder
Then the children’s pleading
Ein lautes Jubellied.
Will turn to loud rejoicing.
O komm und bring vor allem
O come, and above all bring us
Uns viele Rosen mit,
Many roses with you,
Bring auch viel Nachtigallen
Bring many nightingales as well
Und schöne Kuckucks mit.
And lovely cuckoos too.
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…
Poet
Christian Adolf Overbeck von Lübeck
Christian Adolph Overbeck was a German poet, and the Burgomaster of Lübeck. Overbeck was the son of the lawyer (and consultant to Schonenfahrer Company) Georg Christian Overbeck (1713-1786) and his wife Eleonora Maria Jauch (1732-1797), and also…