Ich steh auf des Berges Spitze

Ich steh auf des Berges Spitze,
Und werde sentimental.
«Wenn ich ein Vöglein wäre!»
Seufz ich vieltausendmal.

Wenn ich eine Schwalbe wäre,
So flög ich zu dir, mein Kind,
Und baute mir mein Nestchen,
Wo deine Fenster sind.

Wenn ich eine Nachtigall wäre,
So flög ich zu dir, mein Kind,
Und sänge dir Nachts meine Lieder
Herab von der grünen Lind'.

Wenn ich ein Gimpel wäre,
So flög ich gleich an dein Herz;
Du bist ja hold den Gimpeln,
Und heilest Gimpelschmerz.

Translation(s): ENG FRE FRE

List of language codes

About the headline (FAQ)

Confirmed with Heinrich Heine, Buch der Lieder, Hoffmann und Campe, Hamburg, 1827, page 157.

Authorship

• by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), appears in Buch der Lieder, in Lyrisches Intermezzo, no. 53 [ author's text verified 1 time]

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

• by Detlef Cordes , "Wenn ich ein Vöglein wär" [voice and guitar] [ sung text not verified ]
• by Don Forsythe (b. 1932), "Ich steh' auf des Berges Spitze", published c2004-5 [low voice and piano], from Eine Dichtererzählung - Herbstzyklus, no. 9. [ sung text not verified ]

Settings in other languages or adaptations:

• Also set in English, a translation by Theodore Martin, Sir, KCB KCVO (1816 - 1909) FRE by Herbert Bedford.
  • Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
    

Other available translations, adaptations, and transliterations (if applicable):

• FRE French (Français) (Charles Beltjens) , no title, from Intermezzo lyrique, no. 53, published 1827
• FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Text added to the website: 2008-04-03.
Last modified: 2016-12-02 21:29:04
Line count: 16
Word count: 82

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Je suis au sommet de la montagne

Je suis au sommet de la montagne
Et deviens sentimental.
« Si j'étais un oiseau ! »
Soupiré-je mille fois.

Si j'étais une hirondelle,
Je volerais vers toi, mon enfant,
Et construirais mon nid
Là où sont tes fenêtres.

Si j'étais un rossignol,
Je volerais vers toi, mon enfant,
Et la nuit je te chanterais mes chansons
Du haut du vert tilleul.

Si j'étais un serin,
Je volerais sur l'heure vers ton cœur ;
Car tu aimes bien les serins,
Et guéris le mal des serins.

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About the headline (FAQ)

Authorship

• Translation from German (Deutsch) to French (Français) copyright © 2016 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., please ask the copyright-holder(s) directly.
  
  Pierre Mathé. Contact:
  <pmathe (AT) neuf (DOT) fr>
  
  If the copyright-holder(s) are unreachable for three business days, please write to:
  
  (licenses at lieder dot net)
  
  
  
  

• a text in German (Deutsch) by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), appears in Buch der Lieder, in Lyrisches Intermezzo, no. 53 ENG
• This text was set to music by the following composer(s): Detlef Cordes, Don Forsythe. Go to the text.

Text added to the website: 2016-12-02.
Last modified: 2016-12-02 21:17:13
Line count: 16
Word count: 86