Drinking song
(Poet's title: Trinklied)
Set by Schubert:
D 356
for tenor, chorus and piano[1816]
Funkelnd im Becher
So helle so hold,
Blinket hochschäumend,
Blinkt perlend das Gold
Der süßen, der köstlichen Reben.
Es glänzet auch uns wohl
So freundlich, so hold,
Hell wie der Reben
Erquickendes Gold
Das wogende herrliche Leben.
Drum, freudiger Zecher,
Erhebet die Becher,
Es funkelt der Wein
Wohl so freundlich, so hold,
Es funkelt das wogende
Leben wie Gold!
Trinket! Trinket!
Sparkling in the glass
So bright, so beauteous,
It gleams as the bubbles fly high,
The gold gleams as it fizzes,
The gold of the sweet, valuable grape.
It shines clearly on us too,
So friendly, so beauteous;
As bright as the grape,
The refreshing gold of the grape,
Is majestic, surging life.
Therefore, joyful boozers,
Raise your glasses,
The wine is sparkling
And equally friendly, just as beauteous,
Sparkles this surging
Life, like gold!
Drink! Drink!
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:
Cups and goblets Drinking songs Gold Sweetness Waves – Woge Wine and vines
There is no drowning of sorrows here. This is all fizz, a celebratory drink in honour of the splendour that life sometimes offers us. There are times when life seems to surge forward and such times call for golden sparkling wine.
Note for sommeliers: the word ‘hochschäumend’ has been translated here as if it refers to bursting bubbles of champagne rising high above the surface of the liquid in the glass, but it could also mean ‘with lots of froth’ (it is literally, ‘bubbling high’ or ‘frothing high’), as if someone has not been careful to pour the drink into correctly angled glasses.
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Original Spelling Trinklied Funkelnd im Becher So helle so hold, Blinket hochschäumend, Blinkt perlend das Gold Der süssen, der köstlichen Reben. Es glänzet auch uns wohl So freundlich, so hold, Hell wie der Reben Erquickendes Gold Das wogende herrliche Leben. Drum, freudiger Zecher, Erhebet die Becher, Es funkelt der Wein Wohl so freundlich, so hold, Es funkelt das wogende Leben wie Gold! Trinket! Trinket!