Ständchen (Horch, horch! die Lerch')
Horch, horch! die Lerch' im Ätherblau;
Und Phöbus, neu erweckt,
Tränkt seine Rosse mit dem Tau,
Der Blumenkelche deckt;
Der Ringelblume Knospe schleußt
Die goldnen Äuglein auf;
Mit allem, was da reizend heißt,
Du süße Maid, steh auf!
Und Phöbus, neu erweckt,
Tränkt seine Rosse mit dem Tau,
Der Blumenkelche deckt;
Der Ringelblume Knospe schleußt
Die goldnen Äuglein auf;
Mit allem, was da reizend heißt,
Du süße Maid, steh auf!
Hark, hark! the lark in the blue of the sky;
and Phoebus, newly woken,
waters his horses with the dew
that covers the cups of the flowers;
the marigold's bud opens
its little golden eyes;
with everything that is called lovely,
sweet maid, arise!
and Phoebus, newly woken,
waters his horses with the dew
that covers the cups of the flowers;
the marigold's bud opens
its little golden eyes;
with everything that is called lovely,
sweet maid, arise!
About the song. The German version of Shakespeare's song 'Hark, hark! the lark at heaven's gate sings' from Cymbeline, which Schubert set in July 1826 in Währing, then a village outside Vienna. The translation came from a Viennese Shakespeare edition of 1825–26; it is usually credited to August Wilhelm Schlegel, but some printings omit his name and scholars have also suggested Johann Joachim Eschenburg. Read our English against Shakespeare's original to see how closely the German follows it: Phoebus watering his horses at the dew, and the marigold ('Ringelblume', Shakespeare's 'winking Mary-buds') opening its golden eyes. Later editions add two further stanzas that are not by Shakespeare.
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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.
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