Monday, June 14, 2021
In the last days of his life, Beethoven was absorbed in the study of some sixty of Schubert’s songs, often lingering over them for hours, and he expressed “the utmost wonder” at their content. Among them was the cycle “Die Schöne Müllerin”, which closes with the achingly beautiful “Des Baches Wiegenlied”.
The creek's lullaby
Have a good rest, have a good rest!
Close your eyes!
Wanderer, you tired, you are at home.
Faithful is here,
you should lie with me,
Until the sea wants to drink the brooks.
Will bed you down cool,
On soft Pfühl,
In the blue, crystalline chamber.
Come on, come on,
what can weigh,
wave and weigh the boy in me!
When a hunting horn rings
out of the green forest,
I want to whiz and roar around you.
Don't look in,
blue flowers!
You make my sleeper's dreams so difficult.
Away, away
From the mill bridge,
bad girl, that your shadow won't wake him!
Throw me in
your handkerchief so
that I can keep his eyes covered!
Good night Good Night!
Until everything wakes up,
sleep from your joy, sleep from your suffering!
The full moon rises,
the fog disappears,
And the sky above, how wide is it!
---
The Brook’s Lullaby
Rest well, rest well!
Close your eyes!
Weary wanderer, this is your home.
Here is constancy;
you shall lie with me,
until the sea drinks up all brooks.
I shall make you a cool bed
on a soft pillow
in this blue crystal chamber.
Come, come,
all you who can lull,
rock and lull this boy for me!
When a hunting-horn echoes
from the green forest,
I shall surge and roar about you.
Do not peep in,
little blue flowers!
You will give my slumberer such bad dreams.
Away, away
from the mill-path,
wicked girl, lest your shadow should wake him!
Throw me
your fine shawl,
that I may keep his eyes covered!
Good night, good night,
until all awaken;
sleep away your sorrow!
The full moon rises,
the mist vanishes,
and the sky above, how vast!
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John Scialdone published this page in Daily Beethoven 2021-06-14 08:17:24 -0400