Schubert - Der Lindenbaum

Franz Schubert/Friedrich Silcher - music
William Muller - lyrics
Die Meistersinger conducted by Klaus Breuninger




THE LINDEN TREE
trans. Brian & Anna Cole


By the spring outside the city
there stands a linden tree,
and I dreamed in its shadow
so many lovely dreams.

So many words of loving
into its bark I'd score.
In joyful mood or sadness I
it drew me back the more.

Today I had to travel
right past that tree by night,
and even in the darkness
I closed my eyes so tight.

Its twigs and branches rustled
as if they called to me:
Come here to me, young fellow,
you will find peace, you'll see!

The ice-cold winds were blowing
into my freezing face,
my hat flew off my head, but
I did not lose a pace.

Now I am many hours' ride
distant from that spot,
and still I hear the rustling:
Here peace would be your lot!




Walter A. Aue - notes:

The Linden Tree, with Franz Schubert's melody from Die Winterreise (Winter Journey), is one of the few examples where a great classical composer - two other ones that come to mind are Mozart and Brahms - wrote a song that, perhaps in slightly simplified form, becomes a folk song (Volkslied). There is no greater honor in the German tradition.