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Nicht Damen tönt von hohem Rang Mein kunstlos ländlicher Gesang; Mir bleibe fern so eitler Stern; Gebt mir mein Hochlandmädchen, O! In grünen Thales Schatten, O, Auf sonniger Heide Matten, O, Da sitz' ich gern und singe gern Von meinem Hochlandmädchen, O! Und wären jene Hügel mein, Palast und Park in Prunk und Schein: Ich liebte doch mein Mädchen noch, Mein liebes Hochlandmädchen, O! In grünen Thales Schatten, O, Auf sonniger Heide Matten, O, Pries' ich der Welt, die mir gefällt, Mein liebes Hochlandmädchen, O! Mich haßt das Glück nur allzu sehr; Fort muß ich über Land und Meer: Doch wo ich sei, ihr bleib' ich treu, Treu meinem Hochlandmädchen, O! In grünen Thales Schatten, O, Auf sonniger Heide Matten, O, Ja, wo ich sei, ihr bleib' ich treu, Treu meinem Hochlandmädchen, O! Und bin ich auch getrennt von ihr, Den Schwur der Treue hält sie mir, Ja! nur an mich denkt inniglich Mein treues Hochlandmädchen, O! In grünen Thales Schatten, O, Auf sonniger Heide Matten, O, Dort denkt an mich herzinniglich Mein treues Hochlandmädchen, O! Für sie nur wag' ich Sturm und Flut, Um sie ertrag' ich Frost und Glut, Und alles Gold, das Indien zollt, Weih' ich dem süßen Mädchen, O! In grünen Thales Schatten, O, Auf sonniger Heide Matten, O, Weih' ich das Gold, das Indien zollt Dem süßen Hochlandmädchen, O! Sie hat mein Herz und meine Hand, Geknüpft ist unser Seelenband; Ich bleibe dein, du bleibest mein, Mein süßes Hochlandmädchen, O! Lebt wohl, ihr grünen Schatten, O, Lebt wohl, ihr sonnigen Matten, O, Im fernen Hain sing' ich allein Von meinem Hochlandmädchen! O!
R. Schumann sets stanzas 1-4, 6
Confirmed with Robert Burns’ Gedichte, deutsch von W. Gerhard, Leipzig: Verlag von Joh. Ambr. Barth., 1840, pages 50-52
Authorship:
- by Wilhelm Christoph Leonhard Gerhard (1780 - 1858), "Das Hochlandmädchen" [an adaptation] [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in Scottish (Scots) by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), "The Highland Lassie, O"
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856), "Das Hochlandmädchen", op. 55 no. 1 (1846), published 1847, stanzas 1-4,6 [ SATB chorus ], from Fünf Lieder nach Robert Burns für gemischten Chor, no. 1, Leipzig, Whistling [sung text checked 2 times]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by (Johann) Philipp Kaufmann (1802 - 1846) , "Nein, edle Damen, noch so schön", appears in Gedichte von Robert Burns, first published 1839 ; composed by Carl Heinrich Döring, Otto Dresel, Robert Franz.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "La noia de les Terres Altes", copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Het Hooglandmeisje", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "The highland maiden", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Dr. Gerrit den Hartogh , Lau Kanen [Guest Editor] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2004-06-29
Line count: 48
Word count: 268
Not for ladies of high rank does My artless, rustic singing ring out; May I not aspire to such a vain end; Give me my highland maiden, oh! In the shadows of the green valley, oh, Upon the sunny meadows of heather, oh, There I sit gladly and sing gladly Of my highland maiden, oh! And if those hills belonged to me, Palace and park in splendour and brilliancy: I would nevertheless still love my maiden, My dear highland maiden, oh! In the shadows of the green valley, oh, Upon the sunny meadows of heather, oh, I would praise to the world that pleases me My dear highland maiden, oh! Fortune hates me all too much; I must be off over land and sea: But wherever I may be, I shall remain true to her, True to my highland maiden, oh! In the shadows of the green valley, oh, Upon the sunny meadows of heather, oh, Yes, wherever I may be, I shall remain true to her, True to my highland maiden, oh! And though I be separated from her, She shall keep her vow of faithfulness, Yes! with heartfelt earnestness, only of me thinks My faithful highland maiden, oh! In the shadows of the green valley, oh, Upon the sunny meadows of heather, oh, There thinks of me with heartfelt earnestness My faithful highland maiden, oh! Only for her sake do I risk storm and flood, For her sake do I bear frost and heat, And all the gold that India yields, I dedicate to The sweet highland maiden, oh! In the shadows of the green valley, oh, Upon the sunny meadows of heather, oh, I dedicate the gold that India yields, To the sweet highland maiden, oh! She has my heart and my hand, The tie between our souls has been knotted; I remain yours, you remain mine, My sweet highland maiden, oh! Farewell, ye green shadows, oh, Farewell, ye sunny meadows of heather, oh, In the distant grove I sing only Of my highland maiden, oh!
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2017 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 Wilhelm Christoph Leonhard Gerhard (1780 - 1858), "Das Hochlandmädchen" [an adaptation]
Based on:
- a text in Scottish (Scots) by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), "The Highland Lassie, O"
This text was added to the website: 2017-01-30
Line count: 48
Word count: 340