Chopins Nocturne Es-dur. Der Bogen
Des hohen Fensters stand voll Licht.
Auch deinem ernsten Angesicht
War eine Glorie angeflogen.
In keiner Nacht hat so mich wieder
Der stille Silbermond berührt,
Daß ich im Innersten verspürt
Unnennbar süß ein Lied der Lieder.
Du schwiegst. Auch ich; die stumme Ferne
Verrann im Licht. Kein Leben war
Als nur im See ein Schwänepaar
Und über uns der Lauf der Sterne.
Du tratest in den Fensterbogen,
Um deine ausgestreckte Hand
War dir vom Mond ein Silberrand
Und um den schmalen Hals gezogen.
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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 45-46.
Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Nocturne", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Nocturne", copyright © 2018, (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: 2009-06-02
Line count: 16
Word count: 88
Chopin’s Nocturne in E-flat major. The arch
Of the high window stood full of light.
A splendour had settled upon
Your serious face as well.
In no night did the silent silver moon
Ever move me thus again,
So that in my innermost being I felt,
Unutterably sweet, a song of songs.
You fell silent. I, too; the mute distance
Dissolved in light. There was no life
Except a pair of swans in the lake
And above us the coursing of the stars.
You stepped into the arch of the window,
And about your outstretched hand
The moon etched a silver rim,
And about your slender throat.