Schöne Fremde
German source:
Joseph von Eichendorff
Als machten zu dieser Stund’
Um die halb versunkenen Mauern
Die alten Götter die Rund’.
Hier hinter den Myrtenbäumen
In heimlich dämmernder Pracht,
Was sprichst du wirr, wie in Träumen,
Zu mir, phantastische Nacht?
Es funkeln auf mich alle Sterne
Mit glühendem Liebesblick,
Es redet trunken die Ferne
Wie von künftigem großen Glück!
A beautiful foreign land
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
As if at this very hour
The ancient gods
Were pacing these half-sunken walls.
Here beyond the myrtle trees
In secret twilit splendour,
What are you saying, fantastic night,
Obscurely, as in a dream?
The glittering stars gaze down on me,
Fierily and full of love,
The distant horizon speaks with rapture
Of some great happiness to come!
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Schöne Fremde
German source:
Joseph von Eichendorff
A beautiful foreign land
English source:
Richard Stokes
Es rauschen die Wipfel und schauern,
The tree-tops rustle and shudder
Als machten zu dieser Stund’
As if at this very hour
Um die halb versunkenen Mauern
The ancient gods
Die alten Götter die Rund’.
Were pacing these half-sunken walls.
Hier hinter den Myrtenbäumen
Here beyond the myrtle trees
In heimlich dämmernder Pracht,
In secret twilit splendour,
Was sprichst du wirr, wie in Träumen,
What are you saying, fantastic night,
Zu mir, phantastische Nacht?
Obscurely, as in a dream?
Es funkeln auf mich alle Sterne
The glittering stars gaze down on me,
Mit glühendem Liebesblick,
Fierily and full of love,
Es redet trunken die Ferne
The distant horizon speaks with rapture
Wie von künftigem großen Glück!
Of some great happiness to come!
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
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…