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Songs

Songs

An die Nacht Op. 68

Part of a series or song cycle:

Sechs Lieder (Op. 68)

An die Nacht

Clemens Brentano

Heilige Nacht, heilige Nacht!
Sterngeschloss’ner Himmelsfriede!
Alles, was das Licht geschieden,
Ist verbunden,
Alle Wunden
Bluten süß im Abendrot!
Bjelbog’s Speer, Bjelbog’s Speer
Sinkt in’s Herz der trunknen Erde,
Die mit seliger Geberde
Eine Rose
In dem Schoße
Dunkler Lüste niedertaucht!
Heilige Nacht! züchtige Braut, züchtige Braut!
Deine süße Schmach verhülle,
Wenn des Hochzeitbechers Fülle
Sich ergießet.
Also fließet
In die brünstige Nacht der Tag!

To the night

English Translation © Richard Stokes

Holy night, holy night!
Heavenly peace, encircled in stars!
All things divided by light,
Are united,
All our wounds
Bleed sweetly in the sunset!
Bielbog’s spear, Bielbog’s spear
Plunges into the heart of the drunken earth,
Which with a gesture of bliss
Immerses a rose
In the womb
Of darkened desire!
Holy night! chaste bride, chaste bride!
Veil your sweet shame,
When the wedding-cup
Overflows.
Thus does day
Stream into fervent night!
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)

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Composer

Richard Strauss

Richard Georg Strauss was a German composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras. He is particularly well-known for his operas, Lieder, and tone poems. 

Read more here.


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Poet

Clemens Brentano

Clemens Wenzeslaus Brentano (also Klemens; pseudonym: Clemens Maria Brentano; 9 September 1778 – 28 July 1842) was a German poet and novelist, and a major figure of German Romanticism. Read more here.

Read some of his selected poems in German here.


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About Oxford Lieder

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