The moonlit night
(Poet's title: Die Mondnacht)
Set by Schubert:
D 238
for 3 voices and piano[July 25, 1815]
Part of Kosegarten (putative cycle)
Siehe, wie die Mondesstrahlen
Busch und Flur in Silber malen!
Wie das Bächlein rollt und flimmt,
Strahlen regnen, Funken schmettern
Von den sanft geregten Blättern,
Und die Tauflur glänzt und glimmt.
Glänzend erdämmern der Berge Gipfel,
Glänzend der Pappeln wogende Wipfel.
Durch die glanzberauschten Räume
Flüstern Stimmen, gaukeln Träume,
Sprechen mir vertraulich zu.
Seligkeit, die mich gemahnet,
Höchste Lust, die süß mich schwanet,
Sprich, wo blühst, wo zeitigst du?
Sprenge die Brust nicht, mächtiges Dehnen;
Löschet die Wehmut, labende Tränen.
Wie, ach wie der Qual genesen?
Wo, ach wo ein liebend Wesen,
Das die süßen Qualen stillt.
Eins ins andre gar versunken,
Gar verloren, gar ertrunken,
Bis sich jede Öde füllt –
Solches, ach, wähn ich, kühlte das Sehnen;
Löschte die Wehmut mit köstlichen Tränen.
Eine weiß ich, ach nur Eine,
Dich nur weiß ich, dich o Reine,
Die des Herzens Wehmut meint.
Dich umringend, von dir umrungen,
Dich umschlingend, von dir umschlungen,
Gar in Eins mit dir geeint – –
Schon’, ach schone den Wonneversunknen.
Himmel und Erde verschwinden dem Trunknen.
Look at how the rays of the moon
Are painting the bushes and grass silver!
How the little brook is rolling and shimmering!
Rays are raining down, sparks are bursting
From the gently stirred leaves,
And the dewy turf is glowing and shimmering.
The mountain peaks shimmer in the twilight,
The swaying tops of the poplars are aglow.
Through the space that is glowing in astonishment
Voices whisper and dreams flit about
Speaking to me in a confidential way.
Bliss, which reminds me,
Highest delight, which gives me sweet presentiments,
Tell me, where do you blossom, where do you ripen?
Do not burst my breast, powerful stretching!
Soothe the sadness, refreshing tears.
How, oh how, can the agony be cured?
Where, oh where, is there a loving being
That will quieten the sweet agony?
One submerged completely in the other,
Totally lost, totally drowned,
Until every emptiness is filled.
Oh, it appears to me that what might cool the longing is someone of the sort,
Extinguishing the sadness with costly tears.
I know one, oh, only one,
I know only you, you oh pure one,
Who understands the sadness of the heart.
Surrounding you, surrounded by you,
Embracing you, embraced by you,
United fully with you as one.
Spare me, oh spare someone who has sunk into bliss.
Heaven and earth disappear for someone so intoxicated.
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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Themes and images in this text:
Arms and embracing Bending Bushes and undergrowth Chest / breast Dew The earth Dreams Emptiness and fullness Evening and the setting sun Fields and meadows Fire Flowers Grass Hearts Heaven, the sky Leaves and foliage Longing and yearning Lost and found Mountains and cliffs Night and the moon Pictures and paintings Poplars Rain Rays of light Rivers (Bächlein) Silver Sweetness Tears and crying Whispering
This is not really a static image of a moonlit night, the sort of blurry photograph or murky oil-painting that we sometimes associate with night views. It is more of a video: the leaves are being painted, the water is moving and shimmering, specks and sparks are falling and bursting, the tops of the poplars are swaying. The background (the mountains) and the foreground (the fields) are shimmering and glowing.
The second stanza adds a soundtrack, albeit muffled. Only the poet can make out what nature is attempting to tell him, but still he is left with questions unanswered. How is it all going to end? Where will these plants and trees come into blossom? Under what circumstances are things going to come to fruition? Is the story going anywhere? It appears that he is at that stage of being in love when the future is uncertain. There is bliss, but alongside it, and part of it, the terror of potential loss. The agony is both sweet and unbearable.
The final two stanzas are a fantasy of fulfilment and ecstasy. Liquid becomes a crucial metaphor to express something of the paradox: the lovers are drowned and drunk, the burning agony is extinguished by tears. Paradox gives way to tautology as the lovers become united in a single unit. Once that has happened there is nothing else; heaven and earth (our starting point on this moonlit night) have disappeared. They have served their purpose.
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Original Spelling Der Mondnacht Siehe, wie die Mondesstrahlen Busch und Flur in Silber mahlen! Wie das Bächlein rollt und flimmt! Strahlen regnen, Funken schmettern Von den sanftgeregten Blättern, Und die Thauflur glänzt und glimmt. Glänzend erdämmern der Berge Gipfel, Glänzend der Pappeln wogende Wipfel. Durch die glanzberauschten Räume Flüstern Stimmen, gaukeln Träume Sprechen mir vertraulich zu. Seligkeit, die mich gemahnet, Höchste Lust, die süß mich schwanet, Sprich, wo blühst, wo zeitigst du? Sprenge die Brust nicht mächtiges Dehnen! Löschet die Wehmuth, labende Thränen. Wie, ach wie der Qual genesen? Wo, ach wo ein liebend Wesen, Das die süßen Qualen stillt? Eins ins andre gar versunken, Gar verloren, gar ertrunken, Bis sich jede Oede füllt - Solches, ach, wähn´ ich, kühlte das Sehnen; Löschte die Wehmuth mit köstlichen Thränen. Eine weiß ich, ach, nur Eine, Dich nur weiß ich, dich o Reine, Die des Herzens Wehmuth meint. Dich umringend, von dir umrungen, Dich umschlingend, von dir umschlungen, Gar in Eins mit dir geeint - - Schon', ach schone den Wonneversunk'nen. Himmel und Erde verschwinden dem Trunknen.
Confirmed by Peter Rastl with Schubert’s source, L.T.Kosegarten’s Poesieen, Neueste Auflage, Dritter Band, Berlin 1803, pages 47-48.
To see an early edition of the text, go to page 47 [51 von 274] here: http://digital.onb.ac.at/OnbViewer/viewer.faces?doc=ABO_%2BZ184217108