Rückert-Lieder – Liebst Du Um Schönheit (If You Love For Beauty’s Sake)

Listening Guide

 

The Work

Key: C major.
Tempo: Innig, fliessend (tender, flowing) (fliessend does not appear in the orchestral score)
Time Signature: 3/4 with numerous changes.
Form: simple strophic form
Orchestration: According to the original orchestral score, published by C. F. Kahnt, this song was not orchestrated by Mahler, but by an employee of the publisher, Max Puttmann. Many commentators have criticized the orchestration as flawed in details that Mahler would not have missed.

Liebst du um Schönheit,
o nicht mich liebe!
Liebe die Sonne,
sie trägt ein goldnes Haar!

 

Liebst du um Jugend,
o nicht mich liebe!
Liebe den Frühling,
der jung ist jedes Jahr!

Liebst du um Schätze,
o nicht mich liebe!
Liebe die Meerfrau,
sie hat viel Perlen klar!

Liebst du um Liebe,
o ja mich liebe!
Liebe mich immer,
dich lieb’ ich immerdar.

If you love for beauty’s sake
do not love me!
Love the sun,
it wears hair of gold.

 

If you love for youth’s sake,
do not love me!
Love the spring,
which is young every year!

If you love for treasure’s sake,
o do not love me.
Love the mermaid,
she owns many lucent pearls.

If you love for love’s sake,
yes, then love me.
Love me always,
as I love you always forever.

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