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Auf dem stillen Flusse sind wir am Abend gefahren, Rosig stand und beglänzt der Akazienbaum, Rosig strahlten die Wolken. Ich aber sah sie kaum, Sah nur die Pflaumenblüte in deinen Haaren. Lächelnd saßest du vorn im geschmückten Boote, Hieltest die Laute in der geübten Hand, Sangest das Lied vom heiligen Vaterland, Während in deinen Augen die Jugend lohte. Schweigend stand ich am Mast und wünschte mir, ohne Ende Dieser glühenden Augen Sklave zu sein, Ewig dem Liede zu lauschen in seliger Pein Und dem beglückenden Spiel deiner blumenhaft zarten Hände.
Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.
Confirmed with Hermann Hesse, Sämtliche Werke, herausgegeben von Volker Michels, Band 10 Die Gedichte, bearbeitet von Peter Huber, Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag, 2002, pages 179-180.
Authorship:
- by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "An eine chinesische Sängerin", written c1911 [author's text checked 2 times 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 Richard Czelinski (1901 - 1969), "An eine chinesische Sängerin", 1950 [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Franz Krause (1889 - ?), "An eine chinesische Sängerin", op. 48 no. 1 [ voice and piano ], from Zwölf Gedichte von Hermann Hesse, no. 1 [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "A una cantant xinesa", copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "To a Chinese singer", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "À une chanteuse chinoise", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2009-05-04
Line count: 12
Word count: 90
Upon a quiet river we floated in the evening, The acacia tree stood rosy and beglistened, Rosily the clouds shone. But I hardly saw them, Saw only the plum blossom in your hair. Smiling, you sat in the prow of the adorned boat, Held the lute in your adept hand, Sang the song of the holy fatherland, While youth blazed in your eyes. Silently I stood against the mast and wished, without end, To be the slave of these glowing eyes, In blissful anguish to listen eternally to the song And to the exhilarating play of your delicate, flower-like hands.
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 by Sharon Krebs, (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 German (Deutsch) by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "An eine chinesische Sängerin", written c1911
This text was added to the website: 2016-11-08
Line count: 12
Word count: 100