Provenzalisches Lied
German source:
Johann Ludwig Uhland
Ist der Minnesang entsprossen,
Kind des Frühlings und der Minne,
Holden, innigen Genossen.
Blütenglanz und süße Stimme
Konnt’ an ihm den Vater zeigen,
Herzensglut und tiefes Schmachten
War ihm von der Mutter eigen.
Selige Provencetale,
Üppig blühend wart ihr immer,
Aber eure reichste Blüte
Ist des Minneliedes Schimmer.
Jene tapfern, schmucken Ritter,
Welch ein edler Sängerorden!
Jene hochbeglückten Damen,
Wie sie schön gefeiert worden!
Sängerliebe, hoch und herrlich,
Dich will ich in heitern Bildern
Aus den Tagen des Gesang’s,
Aus der Zeit der Minne schildern:
Sängerliebe!
Provençal song
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
That troubadour love song first flowered—
Child of springtime and love,
Sweet and intimate companions.
It inherited from its father
Its bright blossom and sweet voice,
And from its mother came
Its ardent heart and deep yearning.
Blessed valleys of Provence,
You always teemed with blossom,
But your richest flower
Is the lustre of troubadour song.
Those bold knights in their finery,
What a noble order of minstrels!
Those highly favoured ladies,
How beautifully were they praised!
Lofty, splendid minstrelsy,
I shall paint you in merry tableaux
From those days of song,
From the era of courtly love:
A minstrel’s love!
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Provenzalisches Lied
German source:
Johann Ludwig Uhland
Provençal song
English source:
Richard Stokes
In den Talen der Provence
It was in the valleys of Provence
Ist der Minnesang entsprossen,
That troubadour love song first flowered—
Kind des Frühlings und der Minne,
Child of springtime and love,
Holden, innigen Genossen.
Sweet and intimate companions.
Blütenglanz und süße Stimme
It inherited from its father
Konnt’ an ihm den Vater zeigen,
Its bright blossom and sweet voice,
Herzensglut und tiefes Schmachten
And from its mother came
War ihm von der Mutter eigen.
Its ardent heart and deep yearning.
Selige Provencetale,
Blessed valleys of Provence,
Üppig blühend wart ihr immer,
You always teemed with blossom,
Aber eure reichste Blüte
But your richest flower
Ist des Minneliedes Schimmer.
Is the lustre of troubadour song.
Jene tapfern, schmucken Ritter,
Those bold knights in their finery,
Welch ein edler Sängerorden!
What a noble order of minstrels!
Jene hochbeglückten Damen,
Those highly favoured ladies,
Wie sie schön gefeiert worden!
How beautifully were they praised!
Sängerliebe, hoch und herrlich,
Lofty, splendid minstrelsy,
Dich will ich in heitern Bildern
I shall paint you in merry tableaux
Aus den Tagen des Gesang’s,
From those days of song,
Aus der Zeit der Minne schildern:
From the era of courtly love:
Sängerliebe!
A minstrel’s love!
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
Johann Ludwig Uhland
Johann Ludwig Uhland, was a German poet, philologist and literary historian. He was born in Tübingen, Württemberg, and studied jurisprudence at the university there, but also took an interest in medieval literature, especially old German and French…