val ‘fraganlizbo lunt' ‘lesbon Frauenliebe und -leben ‘A Woman’s Love and Life Song Cycle, Op. 42, composed in July 1840 poems by Adalbert von Chamisso (singing translations of all the songs can be found in the appendix) 1 zaet’ hg lim gezeon, glaob 1g blmt tsu:zaen; vo: lig hin ny ‘bhik’2, Seit ichihn _gesehen,glaub’ ich blindzu sein; wo ichhin nur blicke, Since him(have)seen, believe blind to be; where _hence only look, (Since I saw him I believe I must be blind: wherever I happen to look)8 ze: lig lim lalaen; vit lim ‘vaxon ‘t'rqoma fverp't' zaen bilt’ mig fo, seb’ ich ihn allein; wie im wachen Traume schwebt sein Bild mir vor, see I himalone; as inthe waking dream hovers his image tome before, (Lsee only him; his image hovers before me as if in a waking dream,) taoxt' laps ‘isfst'om ‘donk'al ‘hele, hele nusy/nur lemptorg. tauchtaus tiefstem Dunkel heller, heller nur empor. rises from deepest darkness brighter, brighter only up. (his image rises up, brighter and ever brighter, out of the deepest darkness.) [emportauchen = to rise up, to rise to the surface) [the repetition of heiler is not in the original poem) zonst' ist" igt' unt‘ farp'losstalos = fum_~—mig_ herp, Soust ist licht- und farblos alles © um mich her, Otherwise is light(less) and colorless everything aroundme hither, (Everything else all around me is without light and color,) [um mich her = all around me] nax dey ‘fvest'en ‘fp'ito mgt’ boge ig mer, ‘morgt'a ‘vaenan, nachder Schwestern Spicle nicht begehr’ ich mehr, méchte _lieber weinen, for the sisters’ games not havedesirel more, would like rather to weep, (Chave no longer any interest in my sisters’ games; I would rather weep) Stl im emelaen; zaet’ lig tim gezeron, glaob 1 bimt tsu: zaen. still im K&mmerlein;seit ichihn _gesehen, glaub’ ich blind zu sein. quietly in the little room; sinceI him(have)seen, believe 1 blind tobe. (Quietly in my little room; since I saw him I believe I must be blind.) [She has seen for the first time the man she will one day marry; but she has no idea that he might even have noticed her. Since that first look she feels as if she is blind to everything else in the world. That transformative look marked the end of her girlhood. Deep new emotions come into consciousness, Schumann’s sensitive music is hesitant, thoughtful, and poignantly expressive. 2. em, dem ‘herligst'o fom talon, viz zor ‘mtlda, vit zo: gust"! Er, der Herrlichste von allen,wie so milde, wie so gut! He, the mostsplendidof all, howso mild, howso good! (He, the noblest of men, how gentle he is, how good!) ‘holde ‘p'on, ‘Wasros tgogo, hele zm _lunt' fest'e must, Holde Lippen, Klares Auge, heller Sinn und fester Mut. Lovely lips, bright eye, clear mindand firm courage. (Appealing lips, bright eyes, a clear mind, and firm courage.) zor vit dort’ Im’blaoe ‘isfo, hel lunt'herlig, jeme jt'em, So wie dort in blauerTiefe, hell und herrlich, jener Stern, Justas there in blue depths, bright and glorious, that star (Like that star there, bright and glorious in the blue depths of the sky,) ‘alzolemfex lan 'macnom‘himal, hel _lunt'herlig, _he:g/hesr lunt' fern. alsoEr an meinem Himmel, hell und herrlich,hehr und fern. thusHe in my —_heaven, brightand glorious, exalted and faraway. (He, in my heaven, is bright and glorious, exalted, and far above me.) [Chamisso: hoch (ho:x, high) und fern][addressing him in her imagination:| ‘vandlo, ‘vandlo ‘daenobamon, nur bat'raxt‘an ‘daenon Jaen, Wandle, wandle deine Bahnen, nur betrachten deinen Schei Wander, wander your pathways, only to lookat your light, @ollow, follow your course; just to look at your light,) nus/ousr im de:mut' fim batraxt‘on, zeclig nusp/nusr kunt *traorig zaen! nur in Demut ihnbetrachten,selig nur und traurig sein! only in humility it tolookat, blissfulonly and sad tobe! Gust to look at it in humility, is to be both blissful and sad!) ‘hora nict’ magn ‘ft'tles‘be:'an, ‘dgenam ‘glvk’s nue gavact’; Hire nicht mein stilles Beten, deinem Gliicke nur geweiht; Hear not my quiet praying, to your happinessonly consecrated; (Do not hear my quiet prayer, consecrated only to your happiness;) darfst’ mig, ‘nidromaik't', nigt’ ‘enon, ‘howe ft'ern deg ‘herligktaet*! darfst mich, nied’re Magd, ‘nicht kennen, hoher Stern der Herrlichkeit! (you)may me, lowly maid, not know, high star of the glory! (You should not know me, an insignificant girl, you lofty, glorious star!) nug di ‘vyrdigst's fom talon darf boiglvk'an ‘dana va: Nur dieWiirdigste von allen darfbegliicken deine Wahl, Only the worthiest [08/.Jof all may make happy your choice{subj.), (Your choice should only make happy the worthiest of women,) [Chamisso: sol! (zol, shall) beglticken] tunt'lig vil di ‘hor ‘ze:gnon ‘slo ‘taozont" mail. undich will dieHohe —segnen viele tausend Mal. and 1 want the lofty one to bless many thousand times. (and I shall bless that exalted one many thousand times.) [Chamisso: segnen, segnen viele tausend Mal} [now again to herself] vil mig frggon dan unt’ vaenon,"zerlig, ‘zeclig bm lig dan, Will mich freuen dann und weinen, selig, selig bin ich dann, ‘Want myselfto gladden then and to weep, blissful, blissfulam I then, (shall rejoice then, and weep; I shall be blissful then;) _[sich freuen = to be glad, to rejoice] ‘zolt'a mig das herts laox ‘bregan, brig, lo:herts, vas. lik't daran? sollte mir dasHerz auch brechen, brich, o Herz, was liegt daran? should forme the heart even break, break, © heart, what lies thereat? (and even if my heart should break—go on and break, my heart! What does that matter?) ewe, dere ‘herligst'o fon talon... vit zo: ‘mulda, zor gust"! Er, der Herrlichste von allen... wie so milde, wie so gut! He, the most splendidof all... howso mild, howso good! (He, the noblest of men... how gentle he is, how good!) [This song is an outpouring of enthusiastic admiration and truly unselfish love. It does not occur to her that she might ever be considered a worthy bride for such an outstanding man. He is surely far above her socially, as well as through his personal distinction. She is resolved not to feel any80 envy for the woman he will choose as his wife; on the contrary, she will give her blessing to the ‘one who can make him happy, though she will shed a secret tear. The song is richly expressive.] 3. 1 Kans nigt' fason, nigt' ‘glaobon, es hat’ gen t'rqom mig_borvk'th; Ich kann’s nicht fassen, nicht glauben,es hat ein Traum mich beriickt; I can itnot grasp, mot believe, there has a dream me beguiled; (Lcan't grasp it, can’t believe it; a dream must have beguiled me;) vir het’ lem dox. tunt'e(1) talon mug tarma —leyhest' kunt" bogivk't!? wie hat? er doch unter allenmich Arme erhdht und begltickt? howwouldhavehe yet among all me pooroneraised upand made glad? (why, out of all women, would he have chosen me to honor and bless?) mig varys, lexg ha:bo gaifp'roxen: “ig_bm lgof tervig daen,” Mir war'ser habe — gesprochen: “ich bin auf ewig dein,” Tomewas it,he mayhave spoken: “I am for ever yours,” (It seemed to me that he may have said: “I am yours forever”;) mrg_varys—ag ‘thragme nox time, es ktan ja: ‘nme 20: zaen. mir war’s—ich tritume noch immer,es kann ja nimmerso sein. tome was it—I dream still ever, it can surelynever 50 be. (it seemed to me—I must still be dreaming, it surely can never be so.) o: las iim ‘t'rgomo mig ‘ft'erban, gavvsgot’ lan ‘zaene brust(*), © Iassim Traume mich sterben, gewieget an seiner Brust, Ohlet inthedream me die, lulled at his breast, (Oh let me die in that dream, lulled against his breast,) den zeligan o:t' mig ‘fivrfon m ‘t'reman funtent‘lige lust’. ich schliirfen in Trinen unendlicher Lust. sip in tears of endless _ pleasure. (lot me sip a blissful death in tears of endless delight.) [the original poem ends with this line] [Chamisso: den seligsten (ze:ligst’an, most blissful) Tod] ig Kans nigt’ fason, nigt’ ‘glapbon... es hat" Igen thraom mig bo'ryk't'. Teh kann’s nicht fassen, nicht glauben.es hat ein Traum mich beriickt. I can itnot grasp, not believe... there has a dream me beguiled. (I can’t grasp it, can’t believe it... a dream must have beguiled me.) [He has told her that he loves her. She can hardly believe it—it must be a dream. The song starts, breathlessly, slows a bit to recall his words. Then she commits herself to that dream with ecstatic, passion. Schumann repeats the opening lines, first breathlessly excited as before, with the same staccato chords, then, after a lyrical legato interlude in the piano, calmly and dreamily.] 4 du: 1m lan ‘mgenom fie, _maen ‘goldonas ‘molaen, Du Ring an meinem Finger, mein goldenes Ringelein, Youring on my finger, my golden _littlering, (Ring on my finger, my little golden ring,)81 1g ‘drvk'o dig from lan di ‘p'an, lan das‘hertso maen. ich driicke dich fromm an die Lippen,an dasHerze mein. I. press you devoutly to the lips, to the heart mine. (Lpress you devoutly to my lips, to my heart.) [Schumann inserts a second an die Lippen] 1g hat’ lim lasgathragmot", dere ‘ktmt'haet' ‘frit'i ‘fémon trom, Ich hatt’ ihn ausgetriumet, ‘der Kindheit friedlich schénen Traum, I had it dreamed out, the childhood’s peacefully beautiful dream, (Lhad dreamed it to its end, the peacefully beautiful dream of childhood;) [schénen is added by Schumann, not in the original poem] 1g fant’ lagen mig, feylowran lim t#:don funtent‘ligon rgom. ich fand allein mich, verloren im den unendlichen Raum. I found alone myself,lost intheemptyendless space. (L found myself alone, lost in an empty, endless space.) du: mm lan‘magnom’fiye, da: hast du: mig_lergst’ balergt’, ‘Du Ring an meinem Finger,da hast du micherst belehrt, Youring on my finger, therehave youme first taught, (Ring on my finger, you have just taught me something:) hast’ ‘magnom bk’ legfloson des ‘le:bons luntent'ligan tMisfon vere’. hast meinem Blickerschlossen des Lebens unendlichen tiefen Wert. (you)have tomy gaze opened up the life’s infinitely deep value. (you have opened my eyes to the infinitely deep value of life.) [Schumann added the word tiefen] 1g vil fim ‘dimon, lim —‘Te:bon, fim tangahgsran gants, Ich will ihm dienen, ihm leben, ihm angehdren ganz, I want to him to serve, for him to live, to him to belong completely, (want to serve him, to live for him, to belong to him completely,) [Chamisso: Ich werd’ (I shall) ium dienen] hm ‘zelbe mig ‘gerbon lunt’ fmdan feyklergt’ mig lm zagnom glans. hin selber mich geben und finden verklirt mich in seinem Glanz. hence myselfme to giveand tofind transfigured myself in his radiance. (to give myself to him, and to find myself transfigured in his radiance.) [Schumann repeats und finden verklart mich] du: 1m lan 'maenom'fime... 1g ‘drvk'a dig from lan di ‘hp‘an, lan das ‘hertso magn. Du Ring an meinem Finger... ich driickedich fromm an die Lippen, an das Herze mein. Youring on my finger... I press you devoutly to the lips, to the heart mine. (Ring on my finger... I press you devoutly to my lips, to my heart.) [In deep, devout happiness she sings this warm, gracefully flowing melody, to her engagement ring. Wistfully she remembers her childhood, then the lonesomeness when it ended. The ring has made her aware of the value and rich significance of life. In a rush of fervor, she pledges to devote herself entirely to her fiancé, certain that she will find herself fulfilled in his love.] 5. helft' mizgfmis, lig ‘fvest'en, ‘fragnt‘hg mig ‘fmyk'en, Helft mir, ihr Schwestern, freundlich mich schmiicken, Help me, _—_yousisters, kindly myself adorn, (Help me, sisters, be so kind and help me to adom myself.)82 dint deg ‘glyk'ligon ‘hogt'a, mize. dient der Gliicklichen heute, mir. serve tothe happy woman today, to me. (Gerve me, the happy woman, today.) [the object of dienen is always in the dative case] ‘vindat’ gaffeft'ig mixg/mixrlum di ‘fim nox deve ‘blyondon ‘imyrt'2 tsiry. Windet geschiftig mir um —_dieStirne noch der bliihenden Myrte Zier. Twine busily forme —aroundthe forehead still the blooming myrtle’s omament. (Carefully bind the ornament of blooming myrtle around my forehead.) als lig boffritdigt’, fragdigon ‘hertsans, zonst_ dem golirp't'on im tarma lack’, Als _ ich befriedigt, freudigen Herzens, sonst dem Geliebten im Arme lag, WhenI contented, of joyous heart, formerly forthe beloved inthe arm lay, (When I used to lie contented, and joyous at heart, in the arms of my beloved,) [Chamisso: freudiges Herzens (now ungrammatical)] [Schumann added the word sonst] ‘me nox rif lem,"zemzuxt' lim ‘hertson, tungaduldig den ‘hagtigon tack’. ymer noch rief er, Sehnsucht im Herzen, ungeduldig _ den heutigen Tag. always still calledhe, longing intheheart, impatiently(for)the today day. (he was always impatiently calling for this day to come, his heart filled with desire.) [Chamisso: den heut'gen Tag] helft‘ mizg/misr, lig ‘fvest'en, _helft' mig fey'fagcan _taena ‘Ygrict'a ‘banick*aet"; Helft mir, ihr Schwestern, helft mir verscheuchen cine térichte Bangigkeit; Help me, yousisters, help me chase away a silly _ anxiety; (Help me, sisters, help me rid my mind ofa silly anxiety,) das lig mit’ ‘arom look’ lim lemipfayo, lim, di ‘Kvelo derg ‘fropdicktact’. dass ich mit Kklarem Aug’ ihn empfange, ihn, dieQuelleder | Freudigke that I withelear eye himreceive, him, the source of the joyousness. (Go that I can receive him, the source of my joyousness, with clear eyes.) [she addresses her groom: bist’, magn golip't'e, du: mizg/misrlegfimon, gitpst du: mizg, ‘zona, ‘daenon faen? Bist, mein Geliebter,du mir erschienen, gibst du mir, Sonne, deinen Schein? Are, my beloved, youtome appeared, give youtome,sun, your light? (Have you appeared before me, my beloved, to give me, my sun, your light?) [Chamisso: gibst du Sonne mir deinen Schein] Jas mig hinlandaxt’, las mig. lin'demut', las mig _fewnaegan dem ‘heron meen. lass mich in Andacht, lass mich in Demut, lass mich verneigen dem Herren mein. Tet _me in devotion, let me in humility,let me bow tothelord mine. (Let me bow to my lord in devotion and in humility.) [Schumann added the third Jass} [now again to her sisters:] ‘fUragot' lism, —‘fvest'en, —‘fe'rggor ‘bluzman, brmet’ lism ‘K’nosp'ando ‘o:zan dare. Streuet ihm, Schwestern, streuet ihm Blumen, bringet ihm knospende Rosen dar. Stew forhim, sisters, stew forhim flowers, present tohim budding roses (Scatter flowers for him, sisters, present him with budding roses.) [darbringen = to offer, to present; Chamisso: Bringt]3 ‘tabe(®) age, vest'en, grys 1g mut"vexnut', frapdig ‘Jagdont’ lags tagre Jary. ‘Aber euch, Schwestern, griiss’ ich mit Wehmut, freudig scheidend aus curer Schar. But you, sisters, greet I_withmelancholy, joyously departing from your troop. (But I bid you a melancholy farewell, my sisters, a I nevertheless joyously leave your ranks.) [The song starts off with all the hectic flurry of the bride’s last-minute preparations for her wedding, as she tries to make herself as beautiful as possible with her sisters’ help. The music must not be rushed, however, or the singer will be unable to pronounce the words clearly or keep ‘a musical line. The young bride admits a certain anxiety, recalling the passionate impatience of her groom. Her last lines, before she proceeds up the aisle to the strains of a wedding march, express a mixed emotion: with a touch of melancholy she realizes that she must now leave her childhood home and her sisters, as she happily looks forward to her future life with her husband.] 6. ‘zyse frognt, du: ‘blik'ast’ mig _feyvundet’ lan, k*anst' les nict’ bagrasfon, vi: lig Siisser Freund, du blickest mich verwundert an, kannst es nicht begreifen, wie ich Sweet friend, youlook me astonished at, can it not understand, how (Sweet friend, you look at me with astonishment; you can’t understand how I) ‘vagnon kPan; las dere fagct'on ‘pterlon tungavomt’s ts ‘fropdig hel legtstt'en weinen kann; lassder feuchtenPerlen ungewohnte Zi freudig hell erzittern weep can; let the moist pearls’ unaccustomed ornament joyfully bright tremble (can weep; let the unaccustomed ornament of moist pearls tremble joyfully and brightly) [Chamisso: freudenhell (fragdanhel, joy-bright)] Idem tgoga misg. viz zo: ban men ‘burzan, vi: zor 'vonofollvyst' 1g. nue in dem Auge mir. Wie so bang mein Busen, wie so. wonnevoll! Wiisst’ ich nur inthe eye forme.Howso anxious my bosom,howso blissful! Knew I only (in my eyes. How anxious my heart is, and how blissful! IfI only knew) [Chamisso: in den Wimpern (vimp'en, eyelashes) mir] mit’ vort‘on, viz ligs ‘za:gan zol; ktom unt’ birk' daen tant'hts hisg/his lan ‘magne brust’, mit Worten,wie ich’s sagen soll; komm und birg dein Antlitz hier an meiner Brust, withwords, how! itsay shall;come and hide yourface here at _my —_ breast, (how to say it in words; come and hide your face here on my breast,) vil ims omg dig flvst'en talo'maeno lust’... vaest_du: num di ‘ttremon, will ins Ohrdir filistern alle meine Lust... Weisst du nun dieTrinen, (1) want into the ear to youto whisper all my pleasure. .. Know you now the tears, (L want to whisper all my pleasure into your ear. .. Do you now know the reason for the tears) dit ig 'vagnon an, zolst du: nigt' zi ‘zen, du: galip't'e, galip't'e man? blagp' lan ichweinen kann, solist du nichtsie sehen,du geliebter, gelicbter Mann? Bleib’ an thatI weep can, shall younot themsee, youbeloved, beloved man? Stay at (that I can weep? Should you not see them, you beloved, beloved man? Stay there near) . [the expressive repetition of geliebter is not in the poem] ‘magnam hertson, fy:lo ‘deson flak’, das lig fest’ lunt'fest'e nurg dig ‘drvk’on_ mak’! meinem Herzen, filhledessen Schlag,dassich fest und fester nur dichdrlicken mag! my heart, feel its beat, that I firmlyand morefirmlyonly you press may! (any heart, feel it beating, so that I may press you to me closer and closer!) {Schumann repeats fest und fester]84 hhisghhis lan ‘magnom ‘beta hat di ‘visga rqom, vo: zi: ft'll__feybergo ‘magnon ‘holden Hier an meinem Bette hat dieWiegeRaum,wo sie still _verberge meinen holden Here by my bed _hasthecradle room, where it quietly may hide my lovely (Here by my bed there is room for the cradle, where it may quietly shelter my lovely) rgom;'kYomen virt dem ‘morgen, vo: devg t'rqom legvaxt', lunt darqos daen ‘bilt'nis ‘Traum; kommen wirdder Morgen, wo der Traumerwacht, und daraus dein Bildnis dream; come will the moming, when the dream awakes, and outof it your image (dream; the morning will come when the dream awakes, and from the cradle your image) mirg/mis lent"ge:gan laxt',— dagen bilt'nis! mir entgegen lacht,— dein Bildnis! tome toward —_laughs,—your image! (smiles up at me,—your image!) [With quiet tenderness and touching reticence (appropriate to her era), she tells her husband that she is going to have a baby. Schumann omitted one superfluous verse of the poem (just after alle ‘meine Lust), so that he could express in a piano interlude the reactions of the delighted father-to- bbe as his wife whispers her secret into his ear. The middle section of the three-part song suggests the relief of happy tears and the joy that brings the husband and wife even more closely together. ‘The first melody returns when she pictures the cradle and the baby’s smile—the father’s image.) 7. an maenom hertson, lan ‘maene brust, du: ‘maeno‘vone, du: ‘magna lust‘! das glyk’ Anmeinem Herzen, an meiner Brust, du meine Wonne,du meine Lust! Das Gltick Atmy heart, at my — breast, youmy bliss, youmy joy! The happiness (At my heart, at my breast, you my bliss, you my joy! Happiness) list di icbo, di lisp’ listdas glvké, 1g hasps go'zaxk't'lunt' nems migt tsurvk’, ist dieLiebe, die Lieb’ ist das Glick, ich hab’s gesagt und nehm’s nicht zuriick. is the love, the love is the happiness,I haveitsaid and take itnot back. (is love, love is happiness, I've said it and will not take it back.) hap’ ‘yibefvenlig mig gofetst', bin lyibeglyk'lig tabe _jetst’. Hab’ dberschwenglich mich geschitzt, bin bergliicklich aber jetzt. (have rapturous myself appraised, am supremely happy however now. (thought I was rapturous before, but I am even more supremely happy now.) [Chamisso: Hab’ iberglicklich mich geschatzt] ug dit daz 2ggk't', nusp di: da: lisp't das kant, dem zi: di ‘naxuy ——gip't'; Nur die da siugt, nur die da liebt dasKind,dem sie die Nahrung gibt; Only who there suckles, only who there loves the child, to whom she the nourishment gives; (Only she who nurses her baby, only she who loves the child to whom she is giving nourishment,) ‘nusyfnur geno ‘mut'e vaes lalaen, vas ‘libon haest' lunt’ glyk'lig_zaen. nur Mutter weiss allein, was lieben heisst und gliicklich sein. only a __ mother knows alone, what tolovemeansand happy tobe. (only a mother knows what it means to love and to be happy.) ot vir bodgor 1p dox den man, de:g mot'eglvk’ mit’ yon kan! © wie bedaur’ ich doch den Mann, der Muttergliick _nicht fhlen kann! Obhow pity I yet the man, who mother’shappiness not feel can! (Oh how sorry I feel for a man that he cannot feel the happiness of being a mother!)85 du: ‘tbe, ‘Tikbo(s) tenol, dus, du: fagast’ mig lan lunt' legalst datsu:! Du lieber, lieber Engel, du, du schauest mich an und liichelst dazu! Youdear, dear angel, you, youlook © me at and smile atthe same time! (You dear, dear angel you, you look at me and smile as you do!) [Chamisso: the two phrases are in reverse order] ‘an'maenom/hertson, lan 'maene brust, du: ‘maeno'vono, du: ‘magna lust! Anmeinem Herzen, an meiner Brust, du meine Wonne,du meine Lust! ‘At my — heart, at _my breast, youmy bliss, youmy —j (At my heart, at my breast, you my bliss, you my joy!) [The young mother with her baby at her breast feels happier than ever before, and Schumann's music expresses her joy with hardly a pause for breath as the words come tumbling after each other. At “noch schneller—still faster” one can practically feel her hugging and bouncing the child in her arms. The postlude sings its own song of solicitous love and deep contentment.] num hast du: mig den lexgst'on fmerts gotYam, dexg/dex abe thrarf. Nun hast du mir denersten Schmerzgetan, der aber traf. Nowhave youtomethe first pain done, which however hithome. (Now you have hurt me for the first time—but the blow struck deep.) du: flesfst, du: ‘hart'e(0), tonbarmhertsge man, den tYo:dasfla:f. ‘Du schlifst,du harter, unbarmherz’ger Mann, den Todesschlaf. Yousleep, youhard, _uncompassionate man, the death-sleep. (You sleep the sleep of death, you hard, uncompassionate man.) es ‘bhk’ot di feylasno fog ap hm, di_velt’ list‘ lerg/les, hist‘ lerg. Es blicket dieVerlass’ne vor sich hin, die Welt ist leer, ist leer. There looks the abandoned one before herself hence, the worldis empty, is empty. (The woman you have left behind peers at the future and sees an empty world before her.) golibot’ haib 1g tunt' gales’, bin migt’ ‘esbont mer. Geliebet hab’ ich und gelebt, ich binnicht lebend mebr. loved have and lived, 1 am not living more. (have loved and I have lived; I am no longer alive.) 1g (si mig Im magn tmres —ft'll_tguryk', der ‘flage felt, Teh zieh’ mich in mein Inn’res still zurlick,der Schleier fallt, I. draw myself intomy inner being quietly back, the veil falls, (1 quietly withdraw into my inner self; the veil falls;) da: hab 1¢ dig lunt’ magn feylomas glvk’, du: ‘magne velt*! da hab’ ich dich und mein verlor’nes Gliick, du meine Welt! there have I you and my lost happiness, you my world! (there I have you and my lost happiness, you who were my world!) [Chamisso: mein vergang’nes (fex'gannas, past) Gltick; the final poem of Chamisso’s cycle was not set by Schumann] [Her adored husband has died. She is stunned, in a state of shock. Her first reaction is a bitter reproach: how could he do this to her, how could he be so hard-hearted? She sees only bleak emptiness before her, she feels numb, scarcely alive. She withdraws into an inner world, behind her black veil. This is the most moving song in the cycle, a masterpiece from every point of86 view. Tragedy strikes with the opening chord. The song is drained of melody, the singer’s voice is drained of warmth; only in the deeply touching postlude does melody retum as the bereft ‘woman begins to live in memories, recalling the time when she first fell in love. The singer stands there without moving (“a statue of mourning,” in the words of Lotte Lehmann). Noble dignity is in her posture, but her eyes mist over as she remembers past happiness in present pain.)