Bathing song
(Poet's title: Badelied. Gesungen am Elbstrande bei Magdeburg)
Set by Schubert:
D Anh. I, 21
for trio or quartet
fragment
Schubert did not set the stanzas in italics[1815-1816]
Zur Elbe, zur Elbe,
Des Äthers Gewölbe
Wie strömt es von dörrenden Gluten.
Zum Bade, zum Bade,
Vom Blumengestade
Hinab in die wallenden Fluten.
O Lust! wenn die hellen,
Lichtblinkenden Wellen
Den brennenden Busen umspühlen!
Wie säuseln die Winde
So linde, so linde!
Willkommen, ihr Brüder, im Kühlen!
Bald tauchen wir nieder,
Bald heben wir wieder
Uns rudernd aus sandigen Tiefen,
Und kämpfen und ringen,
Stromüber zu dringen,
Daß Locken und Wangen uns triefen!
Durchbrauset die Flächen
Von Flüssen und Bächen,
Von pappelumschatteten Teichen,
Bis Flockengewimmel
Und Stürme vom Himmel
Die glänzende Bläue verscheuchen!
To the Elbe, to the Elbe,
The firmament of ether
Is flowing from the dry sparks.
Go bathing, go bathing,
Leave the flowery banks
And go down into the undulating current.
What pleasure when the bright
Waves, shining with light,
Surge around our burning breasts!
How the breezes resound
So gently, so gently!
Welcome, brothers, into the cool waters!
First we plunge down,
Then we rise up again
As we push ourselves up from the sandy depths,
And we battle and wrestle,
Attempting to cross the river,
Which soaks our hair and cheeks!
The plains are filled with the sounds
Of rivers and brooks,
Of ponds shaded by poplars,
Until masses of foam
And storms in the sky
Drive away the glowing blue!
All translations into English that appear on this website, unless otherwise stated, are by Malcolm Wren. You are free to use them on condition that you acknowledge Malcolm Wren as the translator and schubertsong.uk as the source. Unless otherwise stated, the comments and essays that appear after the texts and translations are by Malcolm Wren and are © Copyright.
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Matthisson’s subtitle for ‘Badelied’ was ‘Gesungen am Elbstrande bey Magdeburg’ (sung on the banks of the Elbe near Magdeburg).
☙
Confirmed with Gedichte von Friedrich von Matthisson. Erster Theil. Neueste, sehr vermehrte und vollständigste Ausgabe. Wien 1815. In Commission bey Cath. Gräffer und Härter. pages 4-5