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Songs

Songs

Laura am Klavier (1816) D388

Laura am Klavier

Friedrich von Schiller

Wenn dein Finger durch die Saiten meistert,
Laura, itzt zur Statue entgeistert,
Itzt entkörpert steh’ ich da.
Du gebietest über Tod und Leben,
Mächtig, wie von tausend Nervgeweben
Seelen fordert Philadelphia.
Ehrerbietig leiser rauschen
Dann die Lüfte, dir zu lauschen;
Hingeschmiedet zum Gesang
Stehn im ew’gen Wirbelgang,
Einzuzieh’n die Wonnefülle,
Lauschende Naturen stille.
Zauberin! mit Tönen, wie
Mich mit Blicken, zwingst du sie.
Seelenvolle Harmonien wimmeln,
Ein wollüstig Ungestüm,
Aus ihren Saiten, wie aus ihren Himmeln
Neugebor’ne Seraphim;
Wie, des Chaos Riesenarm entronnen,
Aufgejagt vom Schöpfungssturm, die Sonnen
Funkelnd fuhren aus der Nacht,
Strömt der Töne Zaubermacht.
Lieblich itzt, wie über glatten Kieseln
Silberhelle Fluten rieseln,
Majestätisch prächtig nun,
Wie des Donners Orgelton,
Stürmend von hinnen itzt, wie sich von Felsen
Rauschende, schäumende Giessbäche wälzen,
Holdes Gesäusel bald,
Schmeichlerisch linde,
Wie durch den Espenwald
Buhlende Winde,
Schwerer nun und melancholisch düster
Wie durch toter Wüsten Schauernachtgeflüster,
Wo verlornes Heulen schweift,
Tränenwellen der Cocytus schleift.
Mädchen, sprich! ich frage, gib mir Kunde:
Stehst mit höhern Geistern du im Bunde?
Ist’s die Sprache, lüg’ mir nicht,
Die man in Elysen spricht?

Laura at the Piano

English Translation © Richard Wigmore

When your fingers hold sway over the strings, Laura,
I stand there, now dumbfounded, as if turned into
a statue, now disembodied.
You have command over life and death
as mighty as Philadelphia, drawing the souls
from a thousand sensitive beings.
In reverence the breezes whisper more softly,
so as to listen to you;
riveted by the music,
nature, listening silently,
stops in her whirling course
to take in the abundant delights.
Enchantress! With sounds you enthral her,
as you enthral me with your eyes.
Soulful harmonies,
sensual and impetuous,
teem from her strings, like new-born seraphim
from their heaven.
As the flashing suns shot from the night
escaping the giant arm of Chaos,
driven away by the storm of creation,
so the magic power of music pours forth.
Sweetly now, as clear, silvery water
ripples over smooth pebbles;
now with majestic splendour,
like the thunder’s organ-tones;
now raging forth, like rushing, foaming torrents
surging from rocks;
now sweetly murmuring,
gently coaxing,
like wooing breezes
wafting through the aspen woods.
Now heavier, dark with melancholy, like fearful
nocturnal whisperings through dead wastes
where the howls of lost, wandering souls echo,
and Cocytus drags waves of tears.
Maiden, speak! I beg you, tell me:
are you in league with divine spirits?
Do not lie to me: is this the language
they speak in Elysium?

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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 von Schiller

Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller was a German poet, philosopher, physician, historian, and playwright. During the last seventeen years of his life (1788–1805), Schiller struck up a productive, if complicated, friendship with the already famous and influential Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. They frequently discussed issues concerning aesthetics, and Schiller encouraged Goethe to finish works he left as sketches. This relationship and these discussions led to a period now referred to as Weimar Classicism. They also worked together on Xenien, a collection of short satirical poems in which both Schiller and Goethe challenge opponents to their philosophical vision.

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