Szene aus Faust
German source:
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Wie anders, Gretchen, war dir’s,
Als du noch voll Unschuld
Hier zum Altar trat’st,
Aus dem vergriffenen Büchelchen
Gebete lalltest,
Halb Kinderspiele,
Halb Gott im Herzen!
Gretchen! Wo steht dein Kopf?
In deinem Herzen, welche Missetat?
Bet’st du für deiner Mutter Seele,
Die durch dich zur langen,
Langen Pein hinüberschlief?
Auf deiner Schwelle wessen Blut?
– Und unter deinem Herzen
Regt sich’s nicht quillend schon,
Und ängstigt dich und sich
Mit ahnungsvoller Gegenwart?
GRETCHEN
Weh! Weh!
Wär’ ich der Gedanken los,
Die mir herüber und hinüber gehen
Wider mich!
CHOR
Diesirae, diesilla,
Solvet saeclum in favilla.
BÖSER GEIST
Grimm fasst dich!
Die Posaune tönt!
Die Gräber beben!
Und dein Herz, aus Aschenruh
Zu Flammenqualen wieder aufgeschaffen,
Bebt auf!
GRETCHEN
Wär’ ich hier weg!
Mir ist als ob die Orgel mir
Den Athem versetzte,
Gesang mein Herz
Im Tiefsten lös’te.
CHOR
Judex ergo cum sedebit,
Quidquid latet adparebit:
Nil inultum remanebit.
GRETCHEN
Mir wird so eng!
Die Mauern-Pfeiler befangen mich!
Das Gewölbe drängt mich! – Luft!
BÖSERGEIST
Verbirgdich! Zünd’ und Schande
Bleibt nicht verborgen.
Luft? Licht? Wehe dir!
CHOR
Quid sum miser tunc dicturus?
Quem patronum rogaturus?
Cum vix justus sit securus.
BÖSERGEIST
Ihr Antlitz wenden
Verklärte von dir ab.
Die Hände dir zu reichen,
Schauert’s den Reinen. Weh!
CHOR
Quid sum miser tunc dicturus?
Quem patronum rogaturus?
Scene from Faust
English translation ©
Richard Wigmore
How differently you felt, Gretchen,
when, still full of innocence,
you came to the altar here,
mumbling prayers
from your shabby little book,
half playing children’s games,
half with God in your heart.
Gretchen! How is your head?
What sin lies within your heart?
Do you pray for the soul of your mother,
who because of you
overslept into a long, long agony?
And whose blood lies on your threshold?
And beneath your heart
does not something already stir and swell,
tormenting itself and you
with its foreboding presence?
GRETCHEN
Alas! Alas!
If only I could be free of the thoughts
which run to and fro in my mind,
against my will.
CHORUS
The day of wrath, that day
will dissolve the earth in ashes.
EVIL SPIRIT
Anguish grips you!
The trumpet sounds,
the graves tremble!
And your heart, stirred up again
from ashen peace to blazing torment,
trembles likewise!
GRETCHEN
If only I could escape from here!
I feel as if the organ
were taking my breath away,
and the singing dissolving my heart
in its depths.
CHORUS
When therefore the judge takes his seat,
whatever is hidden will reveal itself;
nothing will remain unavenged.
GRETCHEN
I am so afraid!
The pillars of the walls are constricting me!
The vault presses down on me! – Air!
EVILSPIRIT
Hide yourself! Shame and sin
will not remain hidden.
Air? Light? Woe upon you!
CHORUS
What will I say then, wretch that I am?
What advocate entreat to speak for me?
When even the righteous may hardly be secure.
EVILSPIRIT
The blessed turn their faces
from you.
The pure shudder
to reach out their hands to you. Woe!
CHORUS
What will I say then, wretch that I am?
What advocate entreat to speak for me?
Translations by Richard Wigmore first published by Gollancz and reprinted in the Hyperion Schubert Song Edition
Szene aus Faust
German source:
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Scene from Faust
English source:
Richard Wigmore
BÖSERGEIST
EVILSPIRIT
Wie anders, Gretchen, war dir’s,
How differently you felt, Gretchen,
Als du noch voll Unschuld
when, still full of innocence,
Hier zum Altar trat’st,
you came to the altar here,
Aus dem vergriffenen Büchelchen
mumbling prayers
Gebete lalltest,
from your shabby little book,
Halb Kinderspiele,
half playing children’s games,
Halb Gott im Herzen!
half with God in your heart.
Gretchen! Wo steht dein Kopf?
Gretchen! How is your head?
In deinem Herzen, welche Missetat?
What sin lies within your heart?
Bet’st du für deiner Mutter Seele,
Do you pray for the soul of your mother,
Die durch dich zur langen,
who because of you
Langen Pein hinüberschlief?
overslept into a long, long agony?
Auf deiner Schwelle wessen Blut?
And whose blood lies on your threshold?
– Und unter deinem Herzen
And beneath your heart
Regt sich’s nicht quillend schon,
does not something already stir and swell,
Und ängstigt dich und sich
tormenting itself and you
Mit ahnungsvoller Gegenwart?
with its foreboding presence?
GRETCHEN
GRETCHEN
Weh! Weh!
Alas! Alas!
Wär’ ich der Gedanken los,
If only I could be free of the thoughts
Die mir herüber und hinüber gehen
which run to and fro in my mind,
Wider mich!
against my will.
CHOR
CHORUS
Diesirae, diesilla,
The day of wrath, that day
Solvet saeclum in favilla.
will dissolve the earth in ashes.
BÖSER GEIST
EVIL SPIRIT
Grimm fasst dich!
Anguish grips you!
Die Posaune tönt!
The trumpet sounds,
Die Gräber beben!
the graves tremble!
Und dein Herz, aus Aschenruh
And your heart, stirred up again
Zu Flammenqualen wieder aufgeschaffen,
from ashen peace to blazing torment,
Bebt auf!
trembles likewise!
GRETCHEN
GRETCHEN
Wär’ ich hier weg!
If only I could escape from here!
Mir ist als ob die Orgel mir
I feel as if the organ
Den Athem versetzte,
were taking my breath away,
Gesang mein Herz
and the singing dissolving my heart
Im Tiefsten lös’te.
in its depths.
CHOR
CHORUS
Judex ergo cum sedebit,
When therefore the judge takes his seat,
Quidquid latet adparebit:
whatever is hidden will reveal itself;
Nil inultum remanebit.
nothing will remain unavenged.
GRETCHEN
GRETCHEN
Mir wird so eng!
I am so afraid!
Die Mauern-Pfeiler befangen mich!
The pillars of the walls are constricting me!
Das Gewölbe drängt mich! – Luft!
The vault presses down on me! – Air!
BÖSERGEIST
EVILSPIRIT
Verbirgdich! Zünd’ und Schande
Hide yourself! Shame and sin
Bleibt nicht verborgen.
will not remain hidden.
Luft? Licht? Wehe dir!
Air? Light? Woe upon you!
CHOR
CHORUS
Quid sum miser tunc dicturus?
What will I say then, wretch that I am?
Quem patronum rogaturus?
What advocate entreat to speak for me?
Cum vix justus sit securus.
When even the righteous may hardly be secure.
BÖSERGEIST
EVILSPIRIT
Ihr Antlitz wenden
The blessed turn their faces
Verklärte von dir ab.
from you.
Die Hände dir zu reichen,
The pure shudder
Schauert’s den Reinen. Weh!
to reach out their hands to you. Woe!
CHOR
CHORUS
Quid sum miser tunc dicturus?
What will I say then, wretch that I am?
Quem patronum rogaturus?
What advocate entreat to speak for me?
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 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…