foudebassan (foudebassan) wrote in gedichte, @ 2008-04-13 21:27:00 |
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Entry tags: | brentano, romantik |
Clemens Wenzeslaus Brentano de La Roche
(1778-1842)
Brentano was born in a Catholic merchant family. I have always wondered whether he was the model for Thomas’ Mann’s Tonio Kröger (not an ounce of proof, but they’re both Germano-Italian, from trading families,…?) anyway. He tried being an apprentice in his father’s business, and failed, tried studying medicine, and failed, tried studying philosophy, which he wasn’t very good at but which gave him the opportunity to meet the greatest writers of his time, and eventually decided he was meant for literature. It involved a lot of walking around aimlessly in the countryside with his friend Achim von Arnim (who was to become his brother-in-law) and collecting folk songs, which he printed in the songbook “Des Knabens Wunderhorn” (“The young boy’s magical horn”). When he wasn’t doing that he was busy writing books on religious history and being active in anti-Semitic circles.
He married a writer, Sophie Mereau, who died in childbirth soon afterwards; he remarried, and divorced, then contemplated converting to Protestantism in order to marry the daughter of a pastor (Catholic divorcees can’t remarry). She rejected him, but converted to Catholicism instead – a pattern that repeated itself when he courted a Swiss painter a few years later.
His religious works are subject to some controversy. They were thought a bit heterodox and thus rejected by the Church until Vatican II, at which point being Catholic became good enough a point in itself to make the finer points irrelevant.
His poetical legacy, on the other hand, isn’t disputed. He is considered as an early Romantic: today’s poem is a good example of why.
Der Spinnerin Nachtlied Es sang vor langen Jahren Wohl auch die Nachtigall, Das war wohl süßer Schall Da wir zusammen waren Ich sing und kann nicht weinen Und spinne so allein, Den Faden klar und rein So lang der Mond wird scheinen Da wir zusammen waren Sang süß die Nachtigall Nun mahnet mich ihr Schall Daß du von mir gefahren So oft der Mond mag scheinen, Gedenk ich dein allein, Mein Herz ist klar und rein, Gott wolle uns vereinen Seit du von mir gefahren Singt stets die Nachtigall Ich denk bei ihrem Schall Wie wir zusammen waren Gott wolle uns vereinen, Hier spinn ich so allein, Der Mond scheint klar und rein, Ich sing und möchte weinen. |
The Spinner's Night Song Many years ago The nightingale sang too Twas a sweet sound For we were together. I sing and cannot weep And I spin my thread Bright and clear, alone As long as the moon shall shine. The nightingale sang sweetly, For we were together. Now its noise reminds me That you have left me. As often as the moon care to shine I remember you, alone My heart is bright and clear May God join us again. Since you left me The nightingale always sings The sound makes me think Of how we were together. May God join us again I am so alone here as I spin The moon is bright and clear I sing and wish I were weeping. |