Text & Translation
Schwanengesang, D744
German source:
Senn, Johann
„das Sterbegefühl,
„Das auflösend
Durch die Glieder rinnt?
„Wie sing’ ich’s aus
„das Werdegefühl,
„Das erlösend
„Dich, o Geist, anweht?“
Er klagt’, er sang
Vernichtungsbang,
Verklärungsfroh,
Bis das Leben floh.
Das bedeutet des Schwanen Gesang!
Swan song
(2005)
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
This sense of death,
The dissolution
That flows through my limbs?
How shall I sing
This sense of life
That redeems you, O spirit,
With its breath?'
It lamented, it sang,
Fearful of extinction,
Rapturously transfigured,
Until life ebbed away.
That is the swan's song!
Schwanengesang, D744
German source:
Senn, Johann
Swan song (2005)
English source:
Richard Stokes
„Wie klag’ ich’s aus
'How shall I express
„das Sterbegefühl,
This sense of death,
„Das auflösend
The dissolution
Durch die Glieder rinnt?
That flows through my limbs?
„Wie sing’ ich’s aus
How shall I sing
„das Werdegefühl,
This sense of life
„Das erlösend
That redeems you, O spirit,
„Dich, o Geist, anweht?“
With its breath?'
Er klagt’, er sang
It lamented, it sang,
Vernichtungsbang,
Fearful of extinction,
Verklärungsfroh,
Rapturously transfigured,
Bis das Leben floh.
Until life ebbed away.
Das bedeutet des Schwanen Gesang!
That is the swan's song!
Composer
Franz Schubert
Franz Peter Schubert was an late Classical and early Romantic composer. He produced a vast oeuvre during his short life, composing more the 600 vocal works (largely Lieder), and well as several symphonies, operas, and a large body of piano music. He…
Poet
Senn, Johann
Johann Chrysostomus Senn was a political lyric poet of the Vormärz. Johann Senn was the son of the freedom fighter, Franz Michael Senn. He lived in Vienna from 1807 and attended the Akademische Gymnasium. He was a pupil of the Wiener Stadtkonvikt…
Performances
Previously performed at:
- 46. Natasha Loges, Schubert & Co.: Schubert & Social Music 23 Oct 2022
- 42. Graham Johnson: 1822: Schubert and his Friends 22 Oct 2022
- 09. The Shepherd on the Rock: Ailish Tynan & Iain Burnside 28 Feb 2021
- 41. Schubert & Mortality: Imogen Cooper, James Gilchrist, Anna Tilbrook & Lorraine Byrne Bodley 19 Oct 2019