by Giacomo Leopardi (1798 - 1837)
Translation by Frederick Townsend (flourished 1887)
Alla luna
Language: Italian (Italiano)
O graziosa luna, io mi rammento Che, or volge l'anno, sovra questo colle Io venia pien d'angoscia a rimirarti: E tu pendevi allor su quella selva Siccome or fai, che tutta la rischiari. Ma nebuloso e tremulo dal pianto Che mi sorgea sul ciglio, alle mie luci Il tuo volto apparia, che travagliosa Era mia vita: ed è, né cangia stile, O mia diletta luna. E pur mi giova La ricordanza, e il noverar l'etate Del mio dolore. Oh come grato occorre Nel tempo giovanil, quando ancor lungo La speme e breve ha la memoria il corso, Il rimembrar delle passate cose, Ancor che triste, e che l'affanno duri!
Authorship:
- by Giacomo Leopardi (1798 - 1837), "Alla luna" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Wilhelm Killmayer (1927 - 2017), "Alla luna", 1965, first performed 1967 [ baritone and orchestra ], from Tre Canti di Leopardi, no. 3, Mainz, Schott [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Paul Heyse (1830 - 1914) ; composed by Eugen d'Albert.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Frederick Townsend) , "To the Moon", first published 1887
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2003-11-07
Line count: 16
Word count: 109
To the Moon
Language: English  after the Italian (Italiano)
O lovely moon, how well do I recall The time,--'tis just a year--when up this hill I came, in my distress, to gaze at thee: And thou suspended wast o'er yonder grove, As now thou art, which thou with light dost fill. But stained with mist, and tremulous, appeared Thy countenance to me, because my eyes Were filled with tears, that could not be suppressed; For, oh, my life was wretched, wearisome, And _is_ so still, unchanged, beloved moon! And yet this recollection pleases me, This computation of my sorrow's age. How pleasant is it, in the days of youth, When hope a long career before it hath, And memories are few, upon the past To dwell, though sad, and though the sadness last!
Authorship:
- by Frederick Townsend (flourished 1887), "To the Moon", first published 1887 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in Italian (Italiano) by Giacomo Leopardi (1798 - 1837), "Alla luna"
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Researcher for this page: Andrew Schneider [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2019-04-30
Line count: 16
Word count: 125