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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!
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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
Ich weiß nicht, wie du singest, mein Gebieter! Ich lausch’ dir immerfort in stummem Staunen. Denn deiner Klänge Licht erhellt die Welt und deiner Klänge Lebensodem flutet durch die Himmel. Der heil’ge Strom deiner Musik durchdringt selbst Stein, ergießt sich fort und fort. Mein Herz will sehnend in dein Lied einstimmen, vergebens ringt es aber um den Ton. Gern würd' ich sprechen, doch mein Wort wird nicht zum Lied, und ratlos heul ich auf. Ach, du hast mein Herz gefangen, mein Gebieter, und eingewoben in den Kosmos Deines Sangs!
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- Translation from English to German (Deutsch) copyright © 2014 by Bertram Kottmann, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you must ask the copyright-holder(s) directly for permission. If you receive no response, you must consider it a refusal.
Bertram Kottmann. Contact: BKottmann (AT) t-online.de
If you wish to commission a new translation, please 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: 2014-04-03
Line count: 12
Word count: 89