Songs

Phänomen

by Hugo Wolf From Goethe-Lieder (1891)

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Text & Translation

Phänomen
German source: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Wenn zu der Regenwand
Phöbus sich gattet,
Gleich steht ein Bogenrand
Farbig beschattet.

Im Nebel gleichen Kreis
Seh ich gezogen,
Zwar ist der Bogen weiß,
Doch Himmelsbogen.

So sollst du, muntrer Greis,
Dich nicht betrüben,
Sind gleich die Haare weiß,
Doch wirst du lieben.

Phenomenon
English translation © Richard Stokes

When the Sun-god mates
With a curtain of rain,
A rainbow springs up,
Shaded with colours.

I see this same circle
Drawn in the mist;
Though the bow is white,
It is there in the heavens.

So be of good cheer, old fellows,
Do not lose heart;
Though your hair be white,
You shall still find love.

Phänomen
German source: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Phenomenon
English source: Richard Stokes

Wenn zu der Regenwand
When the Sun-god mates
Phöbus sich gattet,
With a curtain of rain,
Gleich steht ein Bogenrand
A rainbow springs up,
Farbig beschattet.
Shaded with colours.

Im Nebel gleichen Kreis
I see this same circle
Seh ich gezogen,
Drawn in the mist;
Zwar ist der Bogen weiß,
Though the bow is white,
Doch Himmelsbogen.
It is there in the heavens.

So sollst du, muntrer Greis,
So be of good cheer, old fellows,
Dich nicht betrüben,
Do not lose heart;
Sind gleich die Haare weiß,
Though your hair be white,
Doch wirst du lieben.
You shall still find love.

Composer

Hugo Wolf

Hugo Filipp Jakob Wolf was born on 13 March 1860, the fourth of six surviving children, in Windischgraz, Styria, then part of the Austrian Empire. He was taught the piano and violin by his father at an early age and continued to study piano at the…

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…

Performances

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