Franz Liszt was a Renaissance man; composer, pianist, teacher, author, philanthropist, and most surprisingly a Franciscan tertiary. Liszt was born in Hungary in 1811, but spent much of life in various parts of Europe including Paris, Weimar, and Rome. Though he is most known for his compositions for piano, he composed in a variety of styles and for orchestra, organ, and voice. Liszt wrote about 800 works and nearly half of them are transcriptions and arrangements for piano, many of which he played himself in performance.
Having gained immense popularity after 1842, especially among women, Liszt was doing so well financially that he was able to donate all of his earnings after 1857 to charity. Liszt became despondent and solitary in the 1860s after losing his 20-year old son and 26-year old daughter. Before his own death in 1886, Liszt composed the Hungarian coronation ceremony and gave extensive master classes around Europe.
Also on Virtually Vocal is ?Oh! Quand je dors,? an art song set in German and French.
Kling leise, mein Lied, durch die schweigende Nacht,
Sound softly, my song, through the silent night,
Kling leise, daß nicht die Geliebt? erwacht!
Sound softly, that not the beloved awakes!
Behutsam zu ihren Fenstern hinauf,
Carefully to her window rise up,
Kling leise, mein Lied, und wecke sie nicht auf!
Sound sofly, my song, and wake her not up!
Ihr Schlummer ist heilig und heilig ihr Traum,
Her slumber is sacred and sacred her dream,
Du küsse nur leicht des Gewandes Saum,
You may kiss only lightly her gown?s hem,
Das lüstern um ihre Glieder sich schmiegt,
That greedily about her limbs itself entwines,
Verhüllend den Busen, der stürmisch sich wiegt.
Covering the bosom, that stormily itself carries.
Ihr Schlummer ist heilig, o wecke sie nicht!
Her slumber is sacred, oh awaken her not!
Und heilig ihr Traum, o schrecke sie nicht
And sacred her dream, oh frighten her not
Mit einem Gebilde, das traurig und wild!
With a picture, that is sad and wild!
Kling leise, mein Lied, sing leise und mild!
Sound softly, my song, sing softly and gently!
Umschlinge sie sanft, wie die Ranke den Baum
Embrace her gently, like the tendrils of a tree
In Liebe umschlingt mit dem Blütentraum,
In love embraces with the flower-dreams,
Und singe verzückt, wie die Nachtigall singt,
And sing ecstatically, as the nightingale sings,
Die der Rose ein klingendes Ständchen bringt.
Which the rose a tuneful serenade brings.
Erwecke sie nicht mit zu stürmischem Gruß,
Awaken her not with too stormy a greeting,
Tritt behutsam nur auf, wie des Pilgers Fuß
Tread cautiously only up to her, like the pilgrim?s foot
Hin durch den heiligen Tempel geht,
Who through the holy temple walks,
Still klinge dein Gruß, wie ein leises Gebet!
Quietly sound your greeting, like a soft prayer!