Songs

Nichts Schöneres

by Robert Schumann From Sechs Gedichte aus dem Liederbuch eines Malers (1840) Op. 36 22–23.vii & viii.1840

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Text & Translation

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Nichts Schöneres
German source: Robert Reinick

Als ich zuerst dich hab’ gesehn,
Wie du so lieblich warst, so schön,
Da fiel’s mein Lebtag mir nicht ein,
Daß noch was Schönres sollte sein,
Als in dein liebes Augenpaar
Hinein zu schauen immerdar.

Da hab ich denn so lang geschaut,
Bis du geworden meine Braut,
Und wieder fiel es mir nicht ein,
Daß noch was Schönres könnte sein,
Als so an deinem roten Mund
Sich satt zu küssen alle Stund.

Da hab’ ich denn so lang geküßt,
Bis du mein Weibchen worden bist,
Und kann nun wohl versichert sein,
Daß noch was Schönres nicht kann sein,
Als wie mit seinem lieben Weib
Zu sein so ganz ein’ Seel’ und Leib!

Nothing more beautiful
English translation © Richard Stokes

When I first saw you,
Saw how sweet and beautiful you were,
I did not think in all my days
That anything could be more beautiful
Than to gaze for evermore
Into your lovely eyes.

But then I gazed on you so long
Till you became my bride;
And again I did not think in all my days
That anything could be more beautiful
Than to kiss your red lips endlessly
Till I was surfeited.

But then I kissed you for so long
Till you became my wife,
And now I may rest assured
That nothing could be more beautiful
Than to be entirely at one with a dear wife
In body and in soul!

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

Nichts Schöneres
German source: Robert Reinick

Nothing more beautiful
English source: Richard Stokes

Als ich zuerst dich hab’ gesehn,
When I first saw you,
Wie du so lieblich warst, so schön,
Saw how sweet and beautiful you were,
Da fiel’s mein Lebtag mir nicht ein,
I did not think in all my days
Daß noch was Schönres sollte sein,
That anything could be more beautiful
Als in dein liebes Augenpaar
Than to gaze for evermore
Hinein zu schauen immerdar.
Into your lovely eyes.

Da hab ich denn so lang geschaut,
But then I gazed on you so long
Bis du geworden meine Braut,
Till you became my bride;
Und wieder fiel es mir nicht ein,
And again I did not think in all my days
Daß noch was Schönres könnte sein,
That anything could be more beautiful
Als so an deinem roten Mund
Than to kiss your red lips endlessly
Sich satt zu küssen alle Stund.
Till I was surfeited.

Da hab’ ich denn so lang geküßt,
But then I kissed you for so long
Bis du mein Weibchen worden bist,
Till you became my wife,
Und kann nun wohl versichert sein,
And now I may rest assured
Daß noch was Schönres nicht kann sein,
That nothing could be more beautiful
Als wie mit seinem lieben Weib
Than to be entirely at one with a dear wife
Zu sein so ganz ein’ Seel’ und Leib!
In body and in soul!

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

Robert Reinick

Robert Reinick was a German painter and poet, associated with the Düsseldorf school of painting. One of his poems, Dem Vaterland, was set to music by Hugo Wolf. Reinick was born in Danzig (Gdańsk) and died in Dresden. Taken from Wikipedia. To view…

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