Lied der Liebe

Durch Fichten am Hügel, durch Erlen am Bach,
Folgt immer dein Bildniß, du Traute! mir nach.
Es lächelt bald [Wehmuth]1, es lächelt bald Ruh',
Im freundlichen Schimmer des Mondes, mir zu.

Den Rosengesträuchen des Gartens entwallt
Im Glanze der Frühe die holde Gestalt;
Sie schwebt aus der Berge bepurpurtem Flor
Gleich einsam elysischen Schatten hervor.

Oft hab' ich, im [Traum, als]2 die schönste der Feen,
Auf goldenem Throne dich strahlen gesehn;
Oft hab' ich, zum hohen Olympus entzückt,
Als Hebe dich unter den Göttern erblickt.

Mir hallt aus den Tiefen, mir hallt von den Höh'n,
Dein himmlischer Name wie Sphärengetön.
Ich wähne den Hauch, der die Blüthen umwebt,
Von deiner melodischen Stimme [durchbebt]3.

In heiliger Mitternachtsstunde durchkreist
Des Äthers Gefilde mein ahnender Geist.
Geliebte! dort winkt uns ein Land, wo der Freund
Auf ewig der Freundin sich wieder vereint.

Die Freude sie schwindet, es dauert kein Leid;
Die Jahre verrauschen im Strome der Zeit;
Die Sonne wird sterben, die Erde vergehn:
Doch Liebe muß ewig und ewig bestehn.

Translation(s): CAT DUT ENG FRE

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View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Gedichte von Friedrich von Matthisson. Erster Theil. Tübingen, bei Cotta, 1811, pages 278-279, and with Friedrich von Matthisson, Gedichte, Fifteenth edition, Zurich: Orell, Füßli & Comp., 1851, pages 219-220.

Authorship

• by Friedrich von Matthisson (1761 - 1831), "Lied der Liebe", written 1792-93, appears in In der Fremde (Schweiz und Frankreich) (1787-1794), first published 1802 [ author's text checked 2 times]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

• by Ludwig Abeille (1761 - 1838), "Lied der Liebe" [voice and piano], from Lieder und Elegien von F. v. Matthisson für eine Singstimme mit Pianoforte, no. 12, Leipzig, Breitkopf und Härtel [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
• by Johann Anton André (1775 - 1842), "Lied der Liebe", c1818. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
• by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Lied der Liebe", D. 109 (1814), published 1894. [ sung text checked 1 time]
• by Sophia Maria Westenholz, née Fritscher (1759 - 1838), "Lied der Liebe" [voice and piano] [ sung text checked 1 time]
• by Johann Rudolf Zumsteeg (1760 - 1802), "Lied der Liebe", published 1802, from Kleine Balladen und Lieder, Heft IV, no. 23. [ sung text checked 1 time]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

• CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "La cançó de l'amor", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Lied der liefde", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Song of love", copyright ©
• FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Chant d'amour", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Text added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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This website began in 1995 as a personal project, and I have been working on it full-time without a salary since 2008. Our research has never had any government or institutional funding, so if you found the information here useful, please consider making a donation. Your gift is greatly appreciated.      - Emily Ezust

Song of love

Past the spruces on the hill, past the alders by the brook,
your image, beloved, ever follows me.
It smiles now with [wistful nostalgia]1, it smiles now with peace,
in the friendly glow of the moon.

The rosebushes in the garden are ruffled
by the lovely figure in the gleam of early morning;
She floats down from the blossoming, purple mountains,
alone like a heavenly shaddow.

Often, in a dream, like the fairest of fairies
on a golden throne, I have seen you radiant.
Often I have glimpsed you on the heights of Olympus,
delighted as Hebe among the Gods.

From the depths and from the heights to me,
your heavenly name echoes like the music of the spheres.
I fancy the scent of blossoms wafting about,
thrilled by your melodious voice.

In the holy midnight hour, my spirit explores
the ethereal field, full of premonition.
Beloved! yonder beckons a land where a man
is united again eternally with his sweetheart.

Joy vanishes, sorrow does not linger;
the years rush past in the stream of time;
the sun will die and the earth will fade:
but love must exist forever!

IMPORTANT NOTE: The material directly above is protected by copyright and appears here by special permission. If you wish to copy it and distribute it, you must obtain permission or you will be breaking the law. Once you have permission, you must give credit to the author and display the copyright symbol ©. Copyright infringement is a criminal offense under international law.

View original text (without footnotes)
¹ Schubert: "love"

Authorship

• Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Emily Ezust

  Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:

  Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
  from the LiederNet Archive -- http://www.lieder.net/

  For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.
  
  
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• a text in German (Deutsch) by Friedrich von Matthisson (1761 - 1831), "Lied der Liebe", written 1792-93, appears in In der Fremde (Schweiz und Frankreich) (1787-1794), first published 1802 CAT DUT FRE
• This text was set to music by the following composer(s): Ludwig Abeille, Johann Anton André, Franz Peter Schubert, Sophia Maria Westenholz, Johann Rudolf Zumsteeg. Go to the text.

Text added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.