Songs

Reich mir die Hand, o Wolke

by Robert Schumann From Sieben Lieder von Elisabeth Kulmann (1851) Op. 104 29.v– 5.vi.1851

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Text & Translation

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Reich mir die Hand, o Wolke
German source: Elisabeth Kulmann

_Wie oft in ihren Dichtungen beschäftigt sie sich visionsartig mit ihren Hingeschiedenen. Mit herzlicher Liebe hängt sie an dieser Welt, ihren Blumen, den leuchtenden Gestirnen, den edlen Menschen, die ihr auf ihrem kurzen Lebensweg begegneten. Aber es ahnt ihr, dass sie sie bald verlassen muss._

Reich mir die Hand, o Wolke,
Heb mich zu dir empor!
Dort stehen meine Brüder
Am offnen Himmelsthor.

Sie sind’s, obgleich im Leben
Ich niemals sie geseh’n,
Ich seh’ in ihrer Mitte
Ja unsern Vater steh’n!

Sie schau’n auf mich hernieder,
Sie winken mir zu sich.
O reich’ die Hand mir, Wolke,
Schnell, schnell erhebe mich!

Reach me your hand, O cloud
English translation © Richard Stokes

_As often in her poetry, she concerns herself here with a visionary depiction of her deceased family. She clings to this world with heart-felt love, to the flowers, the gleaming stars, the noble human-beings she meets during her brief stay on earth. But she has a foreboding that she will soon have to leave them._

Reach me your hand, O cloud,
Lift me up to you!
There my brothers stand
At the open gate of heaven.

There they are, though in life
I never once saw them,
And in their midst
I see our father too!

They look down on me,
They beckon me to their side.
Reach me your hand, O cloud,
Quickly, quickly raise me up!

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

Reich mir die Hand, o Wolke
German source: Elisabeth Kulmann

Reach me your hand, O cloud
English source: Richard Stokes

_Wie oft in ihren Dichtungen beschäftigt sie sich visionsartig mit ihren Hingeschiedenen. Mit herzlicher Liebe hängt sie an dieser Welt, ihren Blumen, den leuchtenden Gestirnen, den edlen Menschen, die ihr auf ihrem kurzen Lebensweg begegneten. Aber es ahnt ihr, dass sie sie bald verlassen muss._
_As often in her poetry, she concerns herself here with a visionary depiction of her deceased family. She clings to this world with heart-felt love, to the flowers, the gleaming stars, the noble human-beings she meets during her brief stay on earth. But she has a foreboding that she will soon have to leave them._

Reich mir die Hand, o Wolke,
Reach me your hand, O cloud,
Heb mich zu dir empor!
Lift me up to you!
Dort stehen meine Brüder
There my brothers stand
Am offnen Himmelsthor.
At the open gate of heaven.

Sie sind’s, obgleich im Leben
There they are, though in life
Ich niemals sie geseh’n,
I never once saw them,
Ich seh’ in ihrer Mitte
And in their midst
Ja unsern Vater steh’n!
I see our father too!

Sie schau’n auf mich hernieder,
They look down on me,
Sie winken mir zu sich.
They beckon me to their side.
O reich’ die Hand mir, Wolke,
Reach me your hand, O cloud,
Schnell, schnell erhebe mich!
Quickly, quickly raise me up!

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

Elisabeth Kulmann

Elisabeth Kulmann was Russian, German and Italian poet and translator. She was born in the Russian Empire in a large family of Boris Fedorovich, and Mary (née Rosenberg) Kulmann, of German origin. Father, collegiate councilor and a retired captain,…

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