Schicksalslied, Op. 54 (Johannes Brahms)

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• CPDL #13583: LilyPond

Editor: Arthur Reutenauer (submitted 2007-02-12).   Score information: A4, 21 pages, 332 kB   Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes:

General Information

Title: Schicksalslied, Op. 54
Composer: Johannes Brahms
Lyricist: Friedrich Hölderin^{create page}

Number of voices: 4vv   Voicing: SATB

Genre: Secular

Language: German
Instruments: Piano
Published:

Description:

External websites:

Original text and translations

German text

Ihr wandelt droben im Licht,
Auf weichem Boden, selige Genien!
Glänzende Götterlüfte
Rühren euch leicht,
Wie die Finger der Künstlerin
Heilige Saiten.

Schicksallos, wie der schlafende
Säugling, atmen die Himmlischen;
Keusch bewahrt
In bescheidener Knospe
Blühet ewig
Ihnen der Geist,
Und die seligen Augen
Blicken in stiller,
Ewiger Klarheit.

Doch uns ist gegeben
Auf keiner Stätte zu ruhn;
Es schwinden, es fallen
Die leidenden Menschen
Blindlings von einer
Stunde zur andern,
Wie Wasser von Klippe
zu Klippe geworfen,
Jahrlang ins Ungewisse hinab.

English translation by Florence T. Jameson

Ye move up yonder in light,
On airy ground, o blessed spirits!
Radiant winds ethereal
O'er you play light,
As the fingers inspired that wake
Heavenly lyre-chords.

Free from Fate, like the slumbering
Suckling, breathe the immortals.
Pure, unsullied,
In bud that enfolds
It blooms for aye,
The flower of their spirit.
And the eyes of the blessed
Gaze in tranquil
Brightness eternal.

But to us is it given
In no abidding place to dwell;
We vanish, we stumble,
We suffering, sorrowing mortals
Blindly from one
Brief hour to another,
Like water from boulder
To boulder flung downward,
Year by year to the dark Unknown below.