Text & Translation
Was will die einsame Träne?
German source:
Heinrich Heine
Sie trübt mir ja den Blick.
Sie blieb aus alten Zeiten
In meinem Auge zurück.
Sie hatte viel leuchtende Schwestern,
Die alle zerflossen sind,
Mit meinen Qualen und Freuden
Zerflossen in Nacht und Wind.
Wie Nebel sind auch zerflossen
Die blauen Sternelein,
Die mir jene Freuden und Qualen
Gelächelt ins Herz hinein.
Ach, meine Liebe selber
Zerfloß wie eitel Hauch!
Du alte, einsame Träne,
Zerfließe jetzunder auch!
Why this solitary Tear?
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
It troubles my gaze.
It has remained in my eye
From days long past.
It had many shining sisters
Who have all vanished,
Vanished with my joys and sorrows
In night and wind.
Like mist, those tiny blue stars
Have also vanished
That smiled those joys and sorrows
Into my heart.
Ah, my love itself
Vanished like a mere breath of air!
Old, solitary tear,
Vanish now as well!
Was will die einsame Träne?
German source:
Heinrich Heine
Why this solitary Tear?
English source:
Richard Stokes
Was will die einsame Träne?
Why this solitary tear?
Sie trübt mir ja den Blick.
It troubles my gaze.
Sie blieb aus alten Zeiten
It has remained in my eye
In meinem Auge zurück.
From days long past.
Sie hatte viel leuchtende Schwestern,
It had many shining sisters
Die alle zerflossen sind,
Who have all vanished,
Mit meinen Qualen und Freuden
Vanished with my joys and sorrows
Zerflossen in Nacht und Wind.
In night and wind.
Wie Nebel sind auch zerflossen
Like mist, those tiny blue stars
Die blauen Sternelein,
Have also vanished
Die mir jene Freuden und Qualen
That smiled those joys and sorrows
Gelächelt ins Herz hinein.
Into my heart.
Ach, meine Liebe selber
Ah, my love itself
Zerfloß wie eitel Hauch!
Vanished like a mere breath of air!
Du alte, einsame Träne,
Old, solitary tear,
Zerfließe jetzunder auch!
Vanish now as well!
Composer
Nadia Boulanger
Nadia Boulanger and her immensely gifted younger sister Lili came from a family of musicians. Boulanger joined the Paris Conservatoire aged ten, studying harmony and composition, alongside private organ lessons. Gabriel Fauré, who taught her…
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…