Songs
Schön ist das Fest des Lenzes
by Robert Schumann From Zwölf Gedichte aus „Liebesfrühling“ (1841) Op. 37 4–11 & 16.i.1841
This song was recorded on the album 'Robert and Clara Schumann: Rückert Lieder' on Stone Records (in collaboration with BBC Music Magazine). Featuring every piano-accompanied setting of the poet Friedrich Rückert by both Robert and Clara Schumann, including duets and ensembles, it was recorded in preparation for Oxford Lieder's The Schumann Project in 2016.
Click here to listen to this song with Mary Bevan, Robert Murray and Sholto Kynoch, or click here to buy the CD from Stone Records.
Schön ist das Fest des Lenzes
German source:
Friedrich Rückert
Doch währt es nur der Tage drei!
Hast du ein Lieb, bekränz es
Mit Rosen, eh’ sie gehn vorbei!
Hast du ein Glas, kredenz es,
O Schenk, und singe mir dabei:
Schön ist das Fest des Lenzes
Doch währt es nur der Tage drei!
Fair is the Festival of Spring
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
Yet it only lasts three days!
If you have a love, garland her
With roses, before the days slip by!
If you have a goblet,
Offer it, mine host, and in doing so, sing to me:
Fair is the festival of spring.
Yet it only lasts three days!
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Schön ist das Fest des Lenzes
German source:
Friedrich Rückert
Fair is the Festival of Spring
English source:
Richard Stokes
Schön ist das Fest des Lenzes.
Fair is the festival of spring.
Doch währt es nur der Tage drei!
Yet it only lasts three days!
Hast du ein Lieb, bekränz es
If you have a love, garland her
Mit Rosen, eh’ sie gehn vorbei!
With roses, before the days slip by!
Hast du ein Glas, kredenz es,
If you have a goblet,
O Schenk, und singe mir dabei:
Offer it, mine host, and in doing so, sing to me:
Schön ist das Fest des Lenzes
Fair is the festival of spring.
Doch währt es nur der Tage drei!
Yet it only lasts three days!
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
Friedrich Rückert
Friedrich Rückert was a German poet, translator, and professor of Oriental languages. Rückert was born at Schweinfurt and was the eldest son of a lawyer. He was educated at the local Gymnasium and at the universities of Würzburg and Heidelberg.…