Wie Melodien
German source:
Klaus Groth
Mir leise durch den Sinn,
Wie Frühlingsblumen blüht es
Und schwebt wie Duft dahin.
Doch kommt das Wort und faßt es
Und führt es vor das Aug’,
Wie Nebelgrau erblaßt es
Und schwindet wie ein Hauch.
Und dennoch ruht im Reime
Verborgen wohl ein Duft,
Den mild aus stillem Keime
Ein feuchtes Auge ruft.
Like Melodies
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
Steal softly through my mind,
Like spring flowers they blossom
And drift away like fragrance.
Yet when words come and capture them
And bring them before my eyes,
They turn pale like grey mist
And vanish like a breath.
Yet surely in rhyme
A fragrance lies hidden,
Summoned by moist eyes
From the silent seed.
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Wie Melodien
German source:
Klaus Groth
Like Melodies
English source:
Richard Stokes
Wie Melodien zieht es
Thoughts, like melodies,
Mir leise durch den Sinn,
Steal softly through my mind,
Wie Frühlingsblumen blüht es
Like spring flowers they blossom
Und schwebt wie Duft dahin.
And drift away like fragrance.
Doch kommt das Wort und faßt es
Yet when words come and capture them
Und führt es vor das Aug’,
And bring them before my eyes,
Wie Nebelgrau erblaßt es
They turn pale like grey mist
Und schwindet wie ein Hauch.
And vanish like a breath.
Und dennoch ruht im Reime
Yet surely in rhyme
Verborgen wohl ein Duft,
A fragrance lies hidden,
Den mild aus stillem Keime
Summoned by moist eyes
Ein feuchtes Auge ruft.
From the silent seed.
Composer
Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms (7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, pianist, and conductor of the Romantic period. Born in Hamburg into a Lutheran family, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Vienna. Brahms has been considered, by his…
Poet
Performances
Previously performed at:
- 76. Dame Sarah Connolly, Eugene Asti: Brahms, Schumann, Mahler 29 Oct 2022
- 15. Elizabeth Llewellyn & Simon Lepper: Coleridge-Taylor & Friends 17 Oct 2022
- Song at Wolfson: Helen Charlston & Sholto Kynoch (second performance) 10 Jun 2021
- Song at Wolfson: Helen Charlston & Sholto Kynoch (first performance) 10 Jun 2021
- Oxford Lieder at Fairlight Hall: Helen Charlston & Sholto Kynoch 06 Jun 2021
- Oxford Lieder at Rye Creative Centre: Helen Charlston & Sholto Kynoch 04 Jun 2021
- Oxford Lieder at Fairlight Hall / Helen Charlston 10 May 2020
- Song at Wolfson / Helen Charlston: Haydn, Brahms and Clara Schumann 07 May 2020
- Tallinn to St Petersburg: Kai Rüütel & Roger Vignoles 17 Oct 2018
- The Distant Beloved: James Newby & Eugene Asti 24 Oct 2017
- Brahms's Late Idyll 17 Oct 2017
- Bring and Sing 14 Oct 2017
- Spanisches Liederspiel: Rowan Pierce, Ann Murray, Timothy Langston, Thomas Allen & Malcolm Martineau 20 Oct 2016