Text & Translation
St Nepomuks Vorabend
German source:
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Kinder singen auf der Brücken,
Glocke, Glöckchen fügt vom Dome
Sich der Andacht, dem Entzücken.
Lichtlein schwinden, Sterne schwinden;
Also lös'te sich die Seele
Unsres Heil'gen, nicht verkünden
Durft' er anvertraute Fehle.
Lichtlein, schwimmet! spielt ihr Kinder!
Kinderchor, o! singe, singe!
Und verkündiget nicht minder
Was den Stern zu Sternen bringe!
Saint Nepomuk's Eve
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
Children are singing on the bridge,
Small and large bells from the cathedral
Match the enchantment and devotion.
The little lights fade, the stars fade;
Thus our Saint gave up his soul,
Rather than betray
A man's confession of his guilt.
Float, little lights! Play, you children!
Children's voices, sing, O sing!
And do not cease proclaiming
What brings this star to other stars.
St Nepomuks Vorabend
German source:
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Saint Nepomuk's Eve
English source:
Richard Stokes
Lichtlein schwimmen auf dem Strome,
Little lights are gleaming on the river,
Kinder singen auf der Brücken,
Children are singing on the bridge,
Glocke, Glöckchen fügt vom Dome
Small and large bells from the cathedral
Sich der Andacht, dem Entzücken.
The little lights fade, the stars fade;
Float, little lights! Play, you children!
Lichtlein schwinden, Sterne schwinden;
Children's voices, sing, O sing!
Also lös'te sich die Seele
And do not cease proclaiming
Unsres Heil'gen, nicht verkünden
What brings this star to other stars.
Durft' er anvertraute Fehle.
Lichtlein, schwimmet! spielt ihr Kinder!
Kinderchor, o! singe, singe!
Und verkündiget nicht minder
Was den Stern zu Sternen bringe!
Composer
Hugo Wolf
Hugo Filipp Jakob Wolf was born on 13 March 1860, the fourth of six surviving children, in Windischgraz, Styria, then part of the Austrian Empire. He was taught the piano and violin by his father at an early age and continued to study piano at the…
Poet
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Johann Wolfgang Goethe was a German writer and statesman. His body of work includes epic and lyric poetry written in a variety of metres and styles; prose and verse dramas; memoirs; an autobiography; literary and aesthetic criticism; treatises on…