Poor old Robert Schumann. Was I too hard on him in a previous post? He wrote a lot of good stuff, including a fine setting of Eichendorff’s Waldgespräch:
Waldgespräch means “forest conversation.” But I just did my own translation and I’d like to call it…
| Waldgespräch | Meeting in a forest |
| Es ist schon spät, es wird schon kalt,
Was reit’st Du einsam durch den Wald? Der Wald ist lang, Du bist allein, Du schöne Braut! Ich führ dich heim! |
The hour is late, the air grows cold,
Why ride forsaken through the wood? The wood is long, thou art alone, O lovely maid, I’ll lead thee home! |
| “Groß ist der Männer Trug und List,
Vor Schmerz mein Herz gebrochen ist, Wohl irrt das Waldhorn her und hin, O flieh! Du weißt nicht, wer ich bin.” |
“False and deceitful are all men,
My heart is rent with bitter pain, The hunting horn has led thee astray, O flee! Thou knowest not my name.” |
| So reich geschmückt ist Roß und Weib,
So wunderschön der junge Leib, Jetzt kenn ich Dich – Gott steh’ mir bei! Du bist die Hexe Loreley. |
So richly adorned are lady and steed,
So beautiful and young indeed, I know thee now – God be my guide! The witch thou art, the Loreley. |
| “Du kennst mich wohl – von hohem Stein,
Schaut still mein Schloß tief in den Rhein. Es ist schon spät, es wird schon kalt, Kommst nimmermehr aus diesem Wald!” |
“Thou know’st me well – my silent keep
Looks down into the Rhine so deep. The hour is late, the air grows cold, Shalt never leave this evil wood!” |
I could spend paragraphs justifying my choices here, but wouldn’t that be dull? Instead, put your quibbles in the comment box. I know there are some. Every literary translation walks around with a horde of quibbles carrying its train.
On the plus side, this English version should fit the music quite well. The first line of stanza 3 is a little awkward but you can make it work.
In conclusion, here’s an unusual and very pleasant recording of Schumann Lieder where a cello takes the singer’s part. This song starts at 24:29.
A correspondent proposes this translation for the last two lines:
“The hour’s late, the cold sets in,
You shall not leave these woods again.”
I like it! Suggestions are always welcome.