Muttertraum
German source:
Adelbert von Chamisso
Entzückt auf den schlummernden Kleinen.
Er ruht in der Wiege so sanft und traut.
Ein Engel muß er ihr scheinen.
Sie küßt ihn und herzt ihn, sie hält sich kaum.
Vergessen der irdischen Schmerzen,
Es schweift in die Zukunft ihr Hoffnungstraum.
So träumen Mütter im Herzen.
Der Rab indes mit der Sippschaft sein
Kreischt draußen am Fenster die Weise:
Dein Engel, dein Engel wird unser sein!
Der Räuber dient uns zur Speise!
A mother's dream
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
With joy at her little slumbering son;
He sleeps in the cradle all snug and warm,
To her he must seem like an angel.
She kisses and hugs him; can hardly restrain herself,
Forgetting all her earthly sorrows;
Her hopes and dreams hover in the future;
That’s how all mothers dream in their hearts.
The raven meanwhile with its brood
Croaks this tune outside the window:
Your angel, your angel shall be our prey!
We shall peck at the robber as food!
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Muttertraum
German source:
Adelbert von Chamisso
A mother's dream
English source:
Richard Stokes
Die Mutter betet herzig und schaut
A mother prays fervently and looks
Entzückt auf den schlummernden Kleinen.
With joy at her little slumbering son;
Er ruht in der Wiege so sanft und traut.
He sleeps in the cradle all snug and warm,
Ein Engel muß er ihr scheinen.
To her he must seem like an angel.
Sie küßt ihn und herzt ihn, sie hält sich kaum.
She kisses and hugs him; can hardly restrain herself,
Vergessen der irdischen Schmerzen,
Forgetting all her earthly sorrows;
Es schweift in die Zukunft ihr Hoffnungstraum.
Her hopes and dreams hover in the future;
So träumen Mütter im Herzen.
That’s how all mothers dream in their hearts.
Der Rab indes mit der Sippschaft sein
The raven meanwhile with its brood
Kreischt draußen am Fenster die Weise:
Croaks this tune outside the window:
Dein Engel, dein Engel wird unser sein!
Your angel, your angel shall be our prey!
Der Räuber dient uns zur Speise!
We shall peck at the robber as food!
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
Adelbert von Chamisso
Adelbert von Chamisso was a German poet and botanist, author of Peter Schlemihl, a famous story about a man who sold his shadow. He was commonly known in French as Adelbert de Chamisso(t) de Boncourt, a name referring to the family estate at…
Performances
Previously performed at:
- 7. Hansel and Gretel: Magnus Walker & Eunji Han 22 Apr 2023
- 76. Dame Sarah Connolly, Eugene Asti: Brahms, Schumann, Mahler 29 Oct 2022
- 16. The Fairytales of Hans Christian Andersen: Lotte Betts-Dean & Joseph Havlat 14 Oct 2019
- La Bonne Chanson: Mark Padmore & Imogen Cooper 19 Oct 2017
- Robert & Clara, Songs & Duets: Sophie Karthäuser, Sarah Connolly & Eugene Asti 15 Oct 2016