This song was recorded on the album 'Robert and Clara Schumann: Rückert Lieder' on Stone Records (in collaboration with BBC Music Magazine). Featuring every piano-accompanied setting of the poet Friedrich Rückert by both Robert and Clara Schumann, including duets and ensembles, it was recorded in preparation for Oxford Lieder's The Schumann Project in 2016.
Click here to listen to this song with Robert Murray and Sholto Kynoch, or click here to buy the CD from Stone Records.
Mein schöner Stern!
German source:
Friedrich Rückert
Ich bitte dich,
O lasse du
Dein heitres Licht
Nicht trüben durch
Den Dampf in mir,
Vielmehr den Dampf
In mir zu Licht,
Mein schöner Stern,
Verklären hilf!
Mein schöner Stern!
Ich bitte dich,
Nicht senk’ herab
Zur Erde dich,
Weil du mich noch
Hier unten siehst,
Heb’ auf vielmehr
Zum Himmel mich,
Mein schöner Stern,
Wo du schon bist!
My lovely star!
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
I beg of you,
O do not let
Your serene radiance
Be dimmed by
Dark clouds in me,
Rather help,
My lovely star,
To transfigure the dark
Into light!
My lovely star!
I beg of you
Not to descend
To earth,
Because you still
See me down here,
Rather lift me
Up to heaven,
My lovely star,
Where you already are!
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Mein schöner Stern!
German source:
Friedrich Rückert
My lovely star!
English source:
Richard Stokes
Mein schöner Stern!
My lovely star!
Ich bitte dich,
I beg of you,
O lasse du
O do not let
Dein heitres Licht
Your serene radiance
Nicht trüben durch
Be dimmed by
Den Dampf in mir,
Dark clouds in me,
Vielmehr den Dampf
Rather help,
In mir zu Licht,
My lovely star,
Mein schöner Stern,
To transfigure the dark
Verklären hilf!
Into light!
Mein schöner Stern!
My lovely star!
Ich bitte dich,
I beg of you
Nicht senk’ herab
Not to descend
Zur Erde dich,
To earth,
Weil du mich noch
Because you still
Hier unten siehst,
See me down here,
Heb’ auf vielmehr
Rather lift me
Zum Himmel mich,
Up to heaven,
Mein schöner Stern,
My lovely star,
Wo du schon bist!
Where you already are!
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
Friedrich Rückert
Friedrich Rückert was a German poet, translator, and professor of Oriental languages. Rückert was born at Schweinfurt and was the eldest son of a lawyer. He was educated at the local Gymnasium and at the universities of Würzburg and Heidelberg.…