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I know not how thou singest, my master! I ever listen in silent amazement. The light of thy music illumines the world. The life breath of thy music runs from sky to sky. The holy stream of thy music breaks through all stony obstacles and rushes on. My heart longs to join in thy song, but vainly struggles for a voice. I would speak, but speech breaks not into song, and I cry out baffled. Ah, thou hast made my heart captive in the endless meshes of thy music, my master!
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941), no title, appears in Gitanjali, no. 3, first published 1912 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in Bangla (Bengali) by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941), appears in গীতাঞ্জলি (Gitanjali), no. 3 [text unavailable]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Naresh Sohal (b. 1939), "I know not how thou singest", 1985 [ baritone and orchestra ], from From Gitanjali, no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Thomas Wegren , "Silent amazement", 1994 [ tenor, piano, and cassette tape ], from Songs of Gitanjali, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in Dutch (Nederlands), a translation by Frederik van Eeden (1860 - 1932) , no title ; composed by Atma Kenswil.
- Also set in Dutch (Nederlands), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Jan Pouwels.
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Also set in Italian (Italiano), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Dino Menichetti.
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) (Anonymous/Unidentified Artist)
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Je ne sais pas comment tu chantes, mon maître !", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- GER German (Deutsch) (Bertram Kottmann) , copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2010-11-03
Line count: 12
Word count: 91
Je ne sais pas comment tu chantes , mon maître ! J'écoute toujours dans une stupeur silencieuse. La lumière de ta musique illumine le monde. La respiration de vie de ta musique court de ciel en ciel. Le flux sacré de ta musique éventre les obstacles de pierre et bondit. Mon cœur meurt d'envie de se joindre à ton chant, mais en vain se bat pour y être une voix. Je voudrais parler, mais la parole ne se brise pas en un chant et je pousse un cri, désemparé. Ah tu as fait captif mon cœur, dans les mailles sans fin de ta musique, mon maître !
Text Authorship:
- Translation from English to French (Français) copyright © 2013 by Pierre Mathé, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in English by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941), no title, appears in Gitanjali, no. 3, first published 1912
Based on:
- a text in Bangla (Bengali) by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941), appears in গীতাঞ্জলি (Gitanjali), no. 3 [text unavailable]
This text was added to the website: 2013-12-01
Line count: 12
Word count: 105