Waldesgesang
German source:
Emanuel Geibel
Im Rosenbusch und sang;
Es flog der wundersüße Schall
Den grünen Wald entlang.
Und wie er klang, - da stieg im Kreis
Aus tausend Kelchen Duft,
Und alle Wipfel rauschten leis’,
Und leiser ging die Luft;
Die Bäche schwiegen, die noch kaum
Geplätschert von den Höh’n,
Die Rehlein standen wie im Traum
Und lauschten dem Getön.
Und hell und immer heller floß
Der Sonne Glanz herein,
Um Blumen, Wald und Schlucht ergoß
Sich goldig roter Schein.
Ich aber zog den Wald entlang
Und hörte auch den Schall.
Ach! was seit jener Stund’ ich sang,
War nur sein Widerhall.
Forest Song
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
Perched on a rosebush and sang;
The wondrous sound floated
Along the green forest.
And as it sounded, there arose a scent
From a thousand calyxes,
And all the treetops rustled softly,
And the breeze moved softer still;
The brooks fell silent, barely
Having babbled from the heights,
The fawns stood as if in a dream
And listened to the sound.
Brighter, and ever brighter
The sun shone on the scene,
And poured its red glow
Over flowers, forest and glen.
But I made my way along the path
And also heard the sound.
Ah! all that I’ve sung since that hour
Was merely its echo.
Waldesgesang
German source:
Emanuel Geibel
Forest Song
English source:
Richard Stokes
Die Liebe saß als Nachtigall
Love, as a nightingale,
Im Rosenbusch und sang;
Perched on a rosebush and sang;
Es flog der wundersüße Schall
The wondrous sound floated
Den grünen Wald entlang.
Along the green forest.
Und wie er klang, - da stieg im Kreis
And as it sounded, there arose a scent
Aus tausend Kelchen Duft,
From a thousand calyxes,
Und alle Wipfel rauschten leis’,
And all the treetops rustled softly,
Und leiser ging die Luft;
And the breeze moved softer still;
Die Bäche schwiegen, die noch kaum
The brooks fell silent, barely
Geplätschert von den Höh’n,
Having babbled from the heights,
Die Rehlein standen wie im Traum
The fawns stood as if in a dream
Und lauschten dem Getön.
And listened to the sound.
Und hell und immer heller floß
Brighter, and ever brighter
Der Sonne Glanz herein,
The sun shone on the scene,
Um Blumen, Wald und Schlucht ergoß
And poured its red glow
Sich goldig roter Schein.
Over flowers, forest and glen.
Ich aber zog den Wald entlang
But I made my way along the path
Und hörte auch den Schall.
And also heard the sound.
Ach! was seit jener Stund’ ich sang,
Ah! all that I’ve sung since that hour
War nur sein Widerhall.
Was merely its echo.
Composer
Richard Strauss
Richard Georg Strauss was a German composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras. He is particularly well-known for his operas, Lieder, and tone poems. Read more here.
Poet
Emanuel Geibel
Emanuel von Geibel , German poet and playwright. He was born at Lübeck, the son of a pastor. He was originally intended for his father's profession and studied at Bonn and Berlin, but his real interests lay not in theology but in classical and…