Songs

Parole

by Johannes Brahms

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Text & Translation

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Parole
German source: Joseph von Eichendorff

Sie stand wohl am Fensterbogen
Und flocht sich traurig das Haar,
Der Jäger war fortgezogen,
Der Jäger ihr Liebster war.

Und als der Frühling gekommen,
Die Welt war von Blüten verschneit,
Da hat sie ein Herz sich genommen
Und ging in die grüne Heid’.

Sie legt das Ohr an den Rasen,
Hört ferner Hufe Klang –
Das sind die Rehe, die grasen
Am schattigen Bergeshang.

Und abends die Wälder rauschen,
Von fern nur fällt noch ein Schuß,
Da steht sie stille zu lauschen:
„Das war meines Liebsten Gruß!“

Da sprangen vom Fels die Quellen,
Da flohen die Vöglein ins Tal.
„Und wo ihr ihn trefft, ihr Gesellen,
O, grüßt mir ihn tausendmal!“

Password
English translation © Richard Stokes

She stood at the arched window
And sadly braided her hair.
The huntsman had departed,
Who was her lover.

And when the spring came,
The world was snowed under with blossom,
And she took fresh heart
And went out into the green heath.

She puts her ear to the turf,
Hears the sound of distant hooves:
The deer that are grazing
On the shaded mountainside.

And at evening the forests rustle,
A single shot can be heard in the distance,
She stands still to listen:
‘That was my lover’s greeting!’

The springs then leapt from the cliff,
The little birds then fled to the valley!
‘And wherever you meet him, friends,
Oh greet him from me a thousand times!’

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

Parole
German source: Joseph von Eichendorff

Password
English source: Richard Stokes

Sie stand wohl am Fensterbogen
She stood at the arched window
Und flocht sich traurig das Haar,
And sadly braided her hair.
Der Jäger war fortgezogen,
The huntsman had departed,
Der Jäger ihr Liebster war.
Who was her lover.

Und als der Frühling gekommen,
And when the spring came,
Die Welt war von Blüten verschneit,
The world was snowed under with blossom,
Da hat sie ein Herz sich genommen
And she took fresh heart
Und ging in die grüne Heid’.
And went out into the green heath.

Sie legt das Ohr an den Rasen,
She puts her ear to the turf,
Hört ferner Hufe Klang –
Hears the sound of distant hooves:
Das sind die Rehe, die grasen
The deer that are grazing
Am schattigen Bergeshang.
On the shaded mountainside.

Und abends die Wälder rauschen,
And at evening the forests rustle,
Von fern nur fällt noch ein Schuß,
A single shot can be heard in the distance,
Da steht sie stille zu lauschen:
She stands still to listen:
„Das war meines Liebsten Gruß!“
‘That was my lover’s greeting!’

Da sprangen vom Fels die Quellen,
The springs then leapt from the cliff,
Da flohen die Vöglein ins Tal.
The little birds then fled to the valley!
„Und wo ihr ihn trefft, ihr Gesellen,
‘And wherever you meet him, friends,
O, grüßt mir ihn tausendmal!“
Oh greet him from me a thousand times!’

Composer

Johannes Brahms

Johannes Brahms (7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, pianist, and conductor of the Romantic period. Born in Hamburg into a Lutheran family, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Vienna.  Brahms has been considered, by his…

Poet

Joseph von Eichendorff

Joseph Freiherr von Eichendorff was a German poet, novelist, playwright, literary critic, translator, and anthologist. Eichendorff was one of the major writers and critics of Romanticism. Ever since their publication and up to the present day, some…

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