Songs

Meeres Stille

by Franz Schubert

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Text & Translation

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Meeres Stille
German source: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Tiefe Stille herrscht im Wasser,
Ohne Regung ruht das Meer,
Und bekümmert sieht der Schiffer
Glatte Fläche rings umher.
Keine Luft von keiner Seite!
Todesstille fürchterlich!
In der ungeheueren Weite
Reget keine Welle sich.

Calm sea
English translation © Richard Stokes

Deep silence weighs on the water,
Motionless the sea rests,
And the fearful boatman sees
A glassy surface all around.
No breeze from any quarter!
Fearful, deadly silence!
In all that vast expanse
Not a single ripple stirs.

Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)

Meeres Stille
German source: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Calm sea
English source: Richard Stokes

Tiefe Stille herrscht im Wasser,
Deep silence weighs on the water,
Ohne Regung ruht das Meer,
Motionless the sea rests,
Und bekümmert sieht der Schiffer
And the fearful boatman sees
Glatte Fläche rings umher.
A glassy surface all around.
Keine Luft von keiner Seite!
No breeze from any quarter!
Todesstille fürchterlich!
Fearful, deadly silence!
In der ungeheueren Weite
In all that vast expanse
Reget keine Welle sich.
Not a single ripple stirs.

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

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Johann Wolfgang Goethe was a German writer and statesman. His body of work includes epic and lyric poetry written in a variety of metres and styles; prose and verse dramas; memoirs; an autobiography; literary and aesthetic criticism; treatises on…

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