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Sei mir gegrüsst (1822) D741

Sei mir gegrüsst

Friedrich Rückert

O du Entriss’ne mir und meinem Küsse! 
Sei mir gegrüsst!
Sei mir geküsst!
Erreichbar nur meinem Sehnsuchtsgrusse! 
Sei mir gegrüsst!
Sei mir geküsst!
Du von der Hand der Liebe diesem Herzen 
Gegeb’ne! du
Von dieser Brust
Genomm’ne mir! mit diesem Tränengases 
Sei mir gegrüsst!
Sei mir geküsst!
Zum Trotz der Ferne, die sich, feindlich trennend, 
Hat zwischen mich
Und dich gestellt;
Dem Neid der Schicksalsmächte zum Verdrusse 
Sei mir gegrüsst!
Sei mir geküsst!
Wie du mir je im schönsten Lenz der Liebe 
Mit Gruss und Kuss
Entgegen kamst,
Mit meiner Seele glühendstem Ergüsse, 
Sei mir gegrüsst!
Sei mir geküsst!
Ein Hauch der Liebe tilget Räum’ und Zeiten, 
Ich bin bei dir,
Du bist bei mir,
Ich halte dich in dieses Arms Umschlusse, 
Sei mir gegrüsst!
Sei mir geküsst!

I greet you

English Translation © Richard Wigmore

You who were torn from me and my kisses, 
I greet you!
I kiss you!
You, whom only my yearning greeting can reach,
I greet you! 
I kiss you!
You who were bestowed on this heart 
by the hand of love,
you who were taken
from my breast! With this flood of tears 
I greet you!
I kiss you!
Defying the distance that, hostile and divisive, 
has come
between you and me;
frustrating the envious powers of fate,
I greet you! 
I kiss you!
As in love’s fairest spring 
you once came to me 
with greetings and kisses,
so with all the fervour of my soul 
I greet you!
I kiss you!
One breath of love dissolves time and space, 
and I am with you,
you are with me;
I hold you closely in my arms’ embrace, 
I greet you!
I kiss you!
Translations by Richard Wigmore first published by Gollancz and reprinted in the Hyperion Schubert Song Edition

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Composer

Franz Schubert

Franz Peter Schubert was an late Classical and early Romantic composer. He produced a vast oeuvre during his short life, composing more the 600 vocal works (largely Lieder), and well as several symphonies, operas, and a large body of piano music. He was uncommonly gifted from a young age, but appreciation of his music was limited during his lifetime. His work became more popular in the decades after his death, and was praised by 19th century composers, including Mendelssohn, Schumann, Brahms, and Liszt.

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Poet

Friedrich Rückert

Friedrich Rückert was a German poet, translator, and professor of Oriental languages.

Rückert was born at Schweinfurt and was the eldest son of a lawyer. He was educated at the local Gymnasium and at the universities of Würzburg and Heidelberg. From 1816–1817, he worked on the editorial staff of the Morgenblatt at Stuttgart. Nearly the whole of the year 1818 he spent in Rome, and afterwards he lived for several years at Coburg (1820–1826). Rückert married Luise Wiethaus-Fischer there in 1821. He was appointed a professor of Oriental languages at the University of Erlangen in 1826, and, in 1841, he was called to a similar position in Berlin, where he was also made a privy councillor. In 1849 he resigned his professorship at Berlin, and went to live full-time in his Gut (estate) at Neuses (now a part of Coburg).

When Rückert began his literary career, Germany was engaged in her life-and-death struggle with Napoleon; and in his first volume, Deutsche Gedichte (German Poems), published in 1814 under the pseudonym Freimund Raimar, he gave, particularly in the powerful Geharnischte Sonette (Sonnets in Arms/Harsh Words), vigorous expression to the prevailing sentiment of his countrymen. During 1815 to 1818 appeared Napoleon, eine politische Komödie in drei Stücken (Napoleon, a Political Comedy in Three Parts) of which only two parts were published; and in 1817 Der Kranz der Zeit (The Wreath of Time).

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