Text & Translation
Sehnsucht
German source:
Johann Mayrhofer
Erschmettern zu des Winters Flucht,
Die Erde hüllt in Samt die Glieder,
Und Blüten bilden rote Frucht.
Nur du, o sturmbewegte Seele,
Nur du bist blütenlos, in dich gekehrt,
Und wirst in goldner Frühlingshelle
Von tiefer Sehnsucht aufgezehrt.
Nie wird, was du verlangst, entkeimen
Dem Boden, Idealen fremd;
Der trotzig deinen schönsten Träumen
Die rohe Kraft entgegenstemmt.
Du ringst dich matt mit seiner Härte,
Vom Wunsche heftiger entbrannt:
Mit Kranichen ein strebender Gefährte,
Zu wandern in ein milder Land.
Longing
English translation ©
Richard Wigmore
ring out as winter flees;
the earth wraps her limbs in velvet,
and red fruit forms from the blossoms.
You alone, storm-tossed soul,
do not flower; turned in on yourself,
you are consumed by deep longing
amid spring’s golden radiance.
What you crave will never burgeon
from this earth, alien to ideals,
which defiantly opposes its raw strength
to your fairest dreams.
You grow weary struggling with its harshness,
ever more inflamed by the desire
to journey to a kinder land,
an aspiring companion to the cranes.
Sehnsucht
German source:
Johann Mayrhofer
Longing
English source:
Richard Wigmore
Der Lerche wolkennahe Lieder
The songs of the cloud-soaring lark
Erschmettern zu des Winters Flucht,
ring out as winter flees;
Die Erde hüllt in Samt die Glieder,
the earth wraps her limbs in velvet,
Und Blüten bilden rote Frucht.
and red fruit forms from the blossoms.
Nur du, o sturmbewegte Seele,
You alone, storm-tossed soul,
Nur du bist blütenlos, in dich gekehrt,
do not flower; turned in on yourself,
Und wirst in goldner Frühlingshelle
you are consumed by deep longing
Von tiefer Sehnsucht aufgezehrt.
amid spring’s golden radiance.
Nie wird, was du verlangst, entkeimen
What you crave will never burgeon
Dem Boden, Idealen fremd;
from this earth, alien to ideals,
Der trotzig deinen schönsten Träumen
which defiantly opposes its raw strength
Die rohe Kraft entgegenstemmt.
to your fairest dreams.
Du ringst dich matt mit seiner Härte,
You grow weary struggling with its harshness,
Vom Wunsche heftiger entbrannt:
ever more inflamed by the desire
Mit Kranichen ein strebender Gefährte,
to journey to a kinder land,
Zu wandern in ein milder Land.
an aspiring companion to the cranes.
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
Johann Mayrhofer
Johann Baptist Mayrhofer , was an Austrian poet and librettist. He is best known for his close friendship with the composer Franz Schubert. Mayrhofer was born in Steyr, educated and Novitiate in St. Florian's Priory Upper Austria. In 1810 he began…