Four Last Songs
Richard Strauss (1864-1949)

Scroll down to see the German text and English translation 

THE STORY

The work known as Four Last Songs began with 82-year-old Richard Strauss’s discovery of a poem by Joseph von Eichendorff titled “At Sunset.” In it, an old couple contemplates the end of their lives: “We have gone hand in hand/Through joys and distress,/Now we rest from our wanderings/High above the quiet land.” Strauss was reminded of his own long and happy marriage to the soprano Pauline de Ahna.

In the twilight of his life, Strauss had lived through the desolation of Europe after two World Wars, the crumbling of traditional techniques of composing music, and the souring of his reputation after institutions he led in Germany were taken over by the Nazi regime. Over the next two years Strauss composed four songs, beginning with the von Eichendorff poem that had so affected him and continuing with three poems by Hermann Hesse. Following his death, his publisher compiled the four songs under the title Four Last Songs. The cycle follows a life in seasons, beginning with “Spring,” followed by “September,” then “When Going to Sleep,” and culminating in “At Sunset.” In these songs, we hear Strauss's wistful farewell to the world.

LISTEN FOR

• The flute in the first song, “Spring,” which mimics birdsong as the voice intones words marveling at the trees and sky
• The long, soaring melodic lines in “September”—a signature of Strauss’ compositional style
• The duet between the horn and solo violin in “Going to Sleep,” the horn representing himself (Strauss’ father was a professional horn player) and the solo violin representing his wife
• The last word sung by the singer, “Tod” or “Death,” as the violas, horn, and English horn quote a melody Strauss composed in his youth: Death and Transfiguration

INSTRUMENTATION

Two piccolos, three flutes, two oboes, English horn, two clarinets, bass clarinet, three bassoons, contrabassoon, four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, harp, celesta, strings

TEXT & TRANSLATION

“Frühling”
Hermann Hesse

In dämmrigen Grüften
Träumte ich lang
Von deinen Bäumen und blauen Lüften,
Von deinem Duft und Vogelsang.

Nun liegst du erschlossen
In Gleiß und Zier,
Von Licht übergossen
Wie ein Wunder vor mir.

Du kennst mich wieder,
Du lockst mich zart,
Es zittert durch all meine
Glieder Deine selige Gegenwart.

“Spring”

In shadowy crypts
I dreamt long
of your trees and blue skies,
of your fragrance and birdsong.

Now you appear
in all your finery,
drenched in light
like a miracle before me.

You recognize me,
you entice me tenderly.
All my limbs tremble
at your blessed presence!

“September”
Hermann Hesse

Der Garten trauert,
Kühl sinkt in die Blumen der Regen.
Der Sommer schauert
Still seinem Ende entgegen.

Golden tropft Blatt um Blatt
Nieder vom hohen Akazienbaum.
Sommer lächelt erstaunt und matt
In den sterbenden Gartentraum.

Lange noch bei den Rosen
Bleibt er stehen, sehnt sich nach Ruh.
Langsam tut er die großen
Müdgewordnen Augen zu.

“September”

The garden is in mourning.
Cool rain seeps into the flowers.
Summertime shudders,
quietly awaiting his end.

Golden leaf after leaf falls
from the tall acacia tree.
Summer smiles, astonished and feeble,
at his dying dream of a garden.

For just a while he tarries
beside the roses, yearning for repose.
Slowly he closes
his weary eyes.

“Beim Schlafengehen”
Hermann Hesse

Nun der Tag mich müd gemacht,
Soll mein sehnliches Verlangen
Freundlich die gestirnte Nacht
Wie ein müdes Kind empfangen.

Hände, laßt von allem Tun,
Stirn vergiß du alles Denken,
Alle meine Sinne nun
Wollen sich in Schlummer senken.

Und die Seele unbewacht
Will in freien Flügen schweben,
Um im Zauberkreis der Nacht
Tief und tausendfach zu leben.

“Going to Sleep”

Now that I am wearied of the day,
my ardent desire shall happily receive
the starry night
like a sleepy child.

Hands, stop all your work.
Brow, forget all your thinking.
All my senses now
yearn to sink into slumber.

And my unfettered soul
wishes to soar up freely
into night’s magic sphere
to live there deeply and thousandfold.

“Im Abendrot”
Joseph Karl Benedikt, Freiherr von Eichendorff

Wir sind durch Not und Freude
Gegangen Hand in Hand,
Vom Wandern ruhen wir
Nun überm stillen Land.

Rings sich die Thäler neigen,
Es dunkelt schon die Luft,
Zwei Lerchen nur noch steigen
Nachträumend in den Duft.

Tritt her, und laß sie schwirren,
Bald ist es Schlafenszeit,
Daß wir uns nicht verirren
In dieser Einsamkeit.

O weiter stiller Friede!
So tief im Abendrot,
Wie sind wir wandermüde—
Ist dies etwa der Tod?

“At Sunset”

We have through sorrow and joy
gone hand in hand;
From our wanderings, let’s now rest
in this quiet land.

Around us, the valleys bow
as the sun goes down.
Two larks soar upwards
dreamily into the light air.

Come close, and let them fly.
Soon it will be time for sleep.
Let’s not lose our way
in this solitude.

O vast, tranquil peace,
so deep in the evening’s glow!
How weary we are of wandering—
Is this perhaps a hint of death?