Thursday, April 05, 2007

'A maiden sings in the plains'

'A maiden sings in the plains'
Original German: Im Feld ein Mädchen singt
Margarete Susman, 1874-1966
Set to music by Jean Sibelius, 'Im Feld ein Mädchen singt', op.50 no. 3 (1906)
Translation is mine.

A maiden sings in the plains...
Perhaps her belovestmost has died,
Perhaps her joy has been tainted,
So that her song rings so sad.

The twilight of sunset dies away,
The willows unmove and silence up,
With such idiosincrasy
Tinges in the distance the sad melody.

The last note fades away.
I would like to come to her.
We must have understood each other,
Because she sings so sadly.

The twilight of sunset dies away,
The willows unmove and silence up.

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