Mondnacht
Es war, als hätt' der Himmel
Die Erde still geküßt,
Daß sie im Blütenschimmer
Von ihm nur träumen müßt'.
Die Erde still geküßt,
Daß sie im Blütenschimmer
Von ihm nur träumen müßt'.
It was as if the sky
had quietly kissed the earth,
so that in the shimmer of blossoms
she could dream only of him.
had quietly kissed the earth,
so that in the shimmer of blossoms
she could dream only of him.
Die Luft ging durch die Felder,
Die Ähren wogten sacht,
Es rauschten leis' die Wälder,
So sternklar war die Nacht.
Die Ähren wogten sacht,
Es rauschten leis' die Wälder,
So sternklar war die Nacht.
The breeze passed through the fields,
the ears of grain swayed gently,
the forests rustled softly,
so starry-clear was the night.
the ears of grain swayed gently,
the forests rustled softly,
so starry-clear was the night.
Und meine Seele spannte
Weit ihre Flügel aus,
Flog durch die stillen Lande,
Als flöge sie nach Haus.
Weit ihre Flügel aus,
Flog durch die stillen Lande,
Als flöge sie nach Haus.
And my soul spread
its wings out wide,
flew across the silent lands
as if it were flying home.
its wings out wide,
flew across the silent lands
as if it were flying home.
About the song. Perhaps the most famous song of German Romanticism. Over a shimmering, almost weightless piano, the voice repeats the same gentle phrase as heaven 'kisses' the earth, until the last stanza, when the soul spreads its wings and the music finally opens out.
Preparing a recital? We prepare complete, print-ready recital programs (original texts, our own English translations you may print freely, and short program notes) in 48 hours. Student programs from $45, professional from $95. Order a program
Translation © Art Song Translations. You may print it free of charge in concert and recital programs with the credit "Translation: Art Song Translations". The German text is in the public domain; repetitions made by the composer are not printed.
More from us: Myth and Score (podcast: famous composer stories, checked against the facts) · Late Hours (calm podcasts on history, space and more) · Opera Stories (YouTube) · Slow Orbit (YouTube sleep lectures on space) · Support us on Ko-fi (tips, no fees)