Songs
Nachtigallen schwingen
(1852)
Op. 6
Nachtigallen schwingen
Nachtigallen schwingenLustig ihr Gefieder,Nachtigallen singenIhre alten Lieder.Und die Blumen alle,Sie erwachen wiederBei dem Klang und SchalleAller dieser Lieder.Und meine Sehnsucht wird zur NachtigallUnd fliegt in die blühende Welt hinein,Und fragt bei den Blumen überall,Wo mag doch mein, mein Blümchen sein?Und die NachtigallenSchwingen ihren ReigenUnter LaubeshallenZwischen Blütenzweigen,Von den Blumen allenAber ich muß schweigen.Unter ihnen steh ichTraurig sinnend still:Eine Blume seh ich,Die nicht blühen will.
Nightingales flutter
Nightingales joyfully Flutter their feathers,Nightingales singTheir old songs,And the flowersWake againAt the tones and soundsOf all these songs.And my longing becomes a nightingaleAnd flies out into the blossoming world,And asks everywhere of every flower,Where might my own floweret be?And the nightingalesFlutter their dancesBeneath leafy arboursAmong blossoming boughs,But I must keep silentAbout all the flowers,I stand among themSadly lost in silent thought;I see a flowerThat does not wish to bloom.
Translation © Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
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Composer
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 contemporaries and by later writers, as both a traditionalist and an innovator. His music is firmly rooted in the structures and compositional techniques of the Classical masters. While many contemporaries found his music too academic, his contribution and craftsmanship have been admired by many.
Information from Wikipedia. Click here for the full article.
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Poet
August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben was a German poet. He is best known for writing "Das Lied der Deutschen", its third stanza now being the national anthem of Germany, and a number of popular children's songs, considered part of the Young Germany movement.
Hoffmann was born in Fallersleben in Lower Saxony, then in the duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg.
The son of a merchant and mayor of his native city, he was educated at the classical schools of Helmstedt and Braunschweig, and afterwards at the universities of Göttingen and Bonn. His original intention was to study theology, but he soon devoted himself entirely to literature. In 1823 he was appointed custodian of the university library at Breslau, a post which he held till 1838. He was also made extraordinary professor of the German language and literature at that university in 1830, and ordinary professor in 1835. Hoffmann was deprived of his chair in 1842 in consequence of his Unpolitische Lieder (1840–1841, "Unpolitical Songs"), which gave much offence to the authorities in Prussia.
Taken from Wikipedia. To view the full article, please click here.
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Nachtigallen schwingen
Nightingales flutter
If you would like to use our texts and translations, please click here for more information.
Composer
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 contemporaries and by later writers, as both a traditionalist and an innovator. His music is firmly rooted in the structures and compositional techniques of the Classical masters. While many contemporaries found his music too academic, his contribution and craftsmanship have been admired by many.
Information from Wikipedia. Click here for the full article.
See Full Entry
Poet
August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben was a German poet. He is best known for writing "Das Lied der Deutschen", its third stanza now being the national anthem of Germany, and a number of popular children's songs, considered part of the Young Germany movement.
Hoffmann was born in Fallersleben in Lower Saxony, then in the duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg.
The son of a merchant and mayor of his native city, he was educated at the classical schools of Helmstedt and Braunschweig, and afterwards at the universities of Göttingen and Bonn. His original intention was to study theology, but he soon devoted himself entirely to literature. In 1823 he was appointed custodian of the university library at Breslau, a post which he held till 1838. He was also made extraordinary professor of the German language and literature at that university in 1830, and ordinary professor in 1835. Hoffmann was deprived of his chair in 1842 in consequence of his Unpolitische Lieder (1840–1841, "Unpolitical Songs"), which gave much offence to the authorities in Prussia.
Taken from Wikipedia. To view the full article, please click here.
See Full Entry
Sorry, no further description available.
Previously performed at:
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