Songs
Weihnachtslied
by Robert Schumann From Lieder-Album für die Jugend (1849) Op. 79 21.iv–13.v.1849
Weihnachtslied
German source:
Hans Christian Andersen
Das uns von der Hölle gerettet,
Da lag’s auf der Krippe bei finstrer Nacht,
Auf Stroh und Heu gebettet;
Doch über der Hütte glänzte der Stern,
Und der Ochse küsste den Fuss des Herrn.
Halleluja, Kind Jesus!
Ermanne dich, Seele, die krank und matt,
Vergiß die nagenden Schmerzen.
Ein Kind ward geboren in Davids Stadt
Zum Trost für alle Herzen.
O lasst uns wallen zum Kindlein hin,
Und Kinder werden in Geist und Sinn.
Halleluja, Kind Jesus!
Christmas Carol
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
Was brought into the world,
He lay in his crib when the night was dark,
With straw and hay for bedding;
But the star was shining above the hut,
And the ox kissed the feet of the Lord.
Hallelujah, Child Jesus!
Take courage, sick and weary soul,
Forget your nagging sorrows.
A child was born in David’s town
To comfort every heart.
O let us pilgrimage to the little child,
And ourselves become children in mind and spirit.
Hallelujah, Child Jesus!
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Weihnachtslied
German source:
Hans Christian Andersen
Christmas Carol
English source:
Richard Stokes
Als das Christkind ward zur Welt gebracht,
When the Christ Child, who saved us from Hell,
Das uns von der Hölle gerettet,
Was brought into the world,
Da lag’s auf der Krippe bei finstrer Nacht,
He lay in his crib when the night was dark,
Auf Stroh und Heu gebettet;
With straw and hay for bedding;
Doch über der Hütte glänzte der Stern,
But the star was shining above the hut,
Und der Ochse küsste den Fuss des Herrn.
And the ox kissed the feet of the Lord.
Halleluja, Kind Jesus!
Hallelujah, Child Jesus!
Ermanne dich, Seele, die krank und matt,
Take courage, sick and weary soul,
Vergiß die nagenden Schmerzen.
Forget your nagging sorrows.
Ein Kind ward geboren in Davids Stadt
A child was born in David’s town
Zum Trost für alle Herzen.
To comfort every heart.
O lasst uns wallen zum Kindlein hin,
O let us pilgrimage to the little child,
Und Kinder werden in Geist und Sinn.
And ourselves become children in mind and spirit.
Halleluja, Kind Jesus!
Hallelujah, Child Jesus!
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
Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen was a Danish author. Although a prolific writer of plays, travelogues, novels, and poems, Andersen is best remembered for his fairy tales. Andersen's popularity is not limited to children; his stories, called eventyr in…