Songs
Viel Glück zur Reise, Schwalben!
by Robert Schumann From Sieben Lieder von Elisabeth Kulmann (1851) Op. 104 29.v– 5.vi.1851
Viel Glück zur Reise, Schwalben!
German source:
Elisabeth Kulmann
Viel Glück zur Reise, Schwalben!
Ihr eilt, ein langer Zug,
Zum schönen warmen Süden
In frohem, kühnen Flug.
Gern möchte wohl die Reise
Ich einmal thun mit euch,
Zu seh’n die tausend Wunder,
Die darbeut jedes Reich.
Doch immer käm ich wieder,
Wie schön auch jedes Land,
Und reich an Wundern wäre,
Zurück in’s Vaterland!
Good luck on you journey, swallows!
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
Good luck on your journey, swallows!
You hurry in a long skein
To the beautiful warm south
In joyful, fearless flight.
I should love to travel
With you one day,
To see the thousand wonders
That each realm has to show.
But I should always return,
However fair each country,
And however rich in wonders,
To my native land!
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Viel Glück zur Reise, Schwalben!
German source:
Elisabeth Kulmann
Good luck on you journey, swallows!
English source:
Richard Stokes
_Obwohl deutscher Herkunft, und in deutscher Sprache wie ihrer Muttersprache dichtend, ist die Dichterin eine warme Patriotin; an unzähligen Stellen preist sie die Schönheiten des nordischen Himmels. Das folgende Gedicht ist ein Beleg dazu._
_Although she was of German origin and wrote in German as well as her mother tongue, the poetess remained an ardent patriot; many passages in her writings praise the beauty of the northern skies, as the following poem illustrates._
Viel Glück zur Reise, Schwalben!
Good luck on your journey, swallows!
Ihr eilt, ein langer Zug,
You hurry in a long skein
Zum schönen warmen Süden
To the beautiful warm south
In frohem, kühnen Flug.
In joyful, fearless flight.
Gern möchte wohl die Reise
I should love to travel
Ich einmal thun mit euch,
With you one day,
Zu seh’n die tausend Wunder,
To see the thousand wonders
Die darbeut jedes Reich.
That each realm has to show.
Doch immer käm ich wieder,
But I should always return,
Wie schön auch jedes Land,
However fair each country,
Und reich an Wundern wäre,
And however rich in wonders,
Zurück in’s Vaterland!
To my native land!
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
Elisabeth Kulmann
Elisabeth Kulmann was Russian, German and Italian poet and translator. She was born in the Russian Empire in a large family of Boris Fedorovich, and Mary (née Rosenberg) Kulmann, of German origin. Father, collegiate councilor and a retired captain,…