Der stille Freier
Language: German (Deutsch)
Available translation(s): ENG FRE
Mond, der Hirt, lenkt seine Herde
Einsam übern Wald herauf,
Unten auf der stillen Erde
Wacht verschwiegne Liebe auf.
Fern vom Schlosse Glocken schlagen,
Übern Wald her von der Höh'
Bringt der Wind den Schall getragen,
Und erschrocken lauscht das Reh.
Nächtlich um dieselbe Stunde
Hallet Hufschlag, schnaubt ein Roß,
Macht ein Ritter seine Runde
Schweigend um der Liebsten Schloß.
Wenn die Morgensterne blinken,
Totenbleich der Hirte wird,
Und sie müssen all' versinken:
Reiter, Herde und der Hirt.
Confirmed with Joseph Freiherrn von Eichendorff's sämtliche poetische Werke, dritte Auflage, Erster Band, Gedichte, C. F. Amelang's Verlag, Leipzig, 1883, page 328.
Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by (Karl) Emil Kauffmann (1836 - 1909), "Der stille Freier", op. 17 (Zehn Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 6, published 1884 [ soprano or tenor and piano ], Tübingen, Laupp [sung text not yet checked]
- by Max (Heinrich Edler von) Oberleithner (1868 - 1935), "Der stille Freier" [ voice and piano ], from Vier Lieder, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ernst (Friedrich Karl) Rudorff (1840 - 1916), "Der stille Freier", op. 3 (Sechs Gedichte von J. von Eichendorff) no. 4, published 1864 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Senff [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (John Glenn Paton) , "The quiet suitor", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Le prétendant silencieux", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [
Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2009-08-24
Line count: 16
Word count: 78
The quiet suitor
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch)
Moon, the shepherd, leads his flock
alone up over the forest toward us;
below, on the silent earth,
concealed love awakens.
Far away the bells of the castle ring;
over the forest toward us from the heights
the wind carries the sound,
and the roe deer listens, terrified.
Nightly at the same hour
hoofs pound, a horse pants,
a knight makes his circuit,
unspeaking, around the beloved’s castle.
When the morning star shines,
the shepherd grows deathly pale,
and they all fall away:
knight, herd, and shepherd.
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2015 by John Glenn Paton, (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.
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Based on:
This text was added to the website: 2015-05-07
Line count: 16
Word count: 87