Songs

Sie liebten sich beide

by Clara Schumann From Sechs Lieder (1844) Op. 13

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Text & Translation

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Sie liebten sich beide
German source: Heinrich Heine

Sie liebten sich beide, doch keiner
Wollt’ es dem andern gestehn;
Sie sahen sich an so feindlich,
Und wollten vor Liebe vergehn.

Sie trennten sich endlich und sah’n sich
Nur noch zuweilen im Traum;
Sie waren längst gestorben
Und wussten es selber kaum.

They Loved One Another
English translation © Richard Stokes

They loved one another, but neither
Wished to tell the other;
They gave each other such hostile looks,
Yet nearly died of love.

In the end they parted and saw
Each other but rarely in dreams.
They died so long ago
And hardly knew it themselves.

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

Sie liebten sich beide
German source: Heinrich Heine

They Loved One Another
English source: Richard Stokes

Sie liebten sich beide, doch keiner
They loved one another, but neither
Wollt’ es dem andern gestehn;
Wished to tell the other;
Sie sahen sich an so feindlich,
They gave each other such hostile looks,
Und wollten vor Liebe vergehn.
Yet nearly died of love.

Sie trennten sich endlich und sah’n sich
In the end they parted and saw
Nur noch zuweilen im Traum;
Each other but rarely in dreams.
Sie waren längst gestorben
They died so long ago
Und wussten es selber kaum.
And hardly knew it themselves.

Composer

Clara Schumann

Clara Schumann (1819-96) née Wieck is one of the most significant women in musical history. Apart from being a tremendously successful pianist and pedagogue, she wrote numerous songs alongside other works in various genres. She also transformed the…

Poet

Heinrich Heine

Heine was born of Jewish parents. Much of his early life was influenced by the financial power of his uncle Salomon Heine, a millionaire Hamburg banker, with whom he remained on an awkward footing for many years. After he had been educated in the…

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