TRANSLATION: Schoenberg's Pierrot Lunaire, "Nostalgia"

Lost in the fire of last year's Pierrot centennial was translation. After all, it was Otto Erich Hartleben's German--translated from the original French of Albert Giraud--that Arnold Schoenberg had set.

And with Stanley Appelbaum's Anglicised Hartleben turning 20 next year (not to mention having its own Twitter account @PierrotTweets), Classicalite figured a new English language translation was passed due.

To wit, for the next 21 weekdays, we'll be offering a new take on each of Giraud/Hartleben/Appelbaum's 3x7 poems...alongside some of our favorite performances.

NOSTALGIA

Sweet lamentations, like a crystal sighing,
rise from the the old Italian comedy
asking so sadly: "How has Pierrot become
So wooden, so fashionably sentimental?"

And it echoes through the desert of his heart,
Echoing again, muted, through all the senses--
Sweet lamentations, like a crystal sighing,
rise from the the old Italian comedy.

Then, Pierrot forgets his tragic manner!
By the moon's pale fire,
In a flood of radiance, his longing swells--
Soaring boldly towards his homeland's skies,
Sweet lamentations, like a crystal sighing.

Up next: "Gemeinheit"