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Sey uns stets gegrüßt, o Nacht, Aber doppelt hier im Wald, Wo dein Aug verstohlner lacht, Wo dein Fußtritt leiser hallt! Auf der [Blätter]1 Laubpokale Gießest du dein Silber aus, Hängst den Mond mit [mildem]2 Strahle Uns als Lamp' in's Blätterhaus. Säuselnde Lüftchen Sind deine Reden; Spinnende Strahlen Sind deine Fäden, Was [dein Mund nur]3 beschwichtigend traf, [Senkt die Augen]4 und sinket in Schlaf! Und doch, - es ist zum Schlafen zu schön, Drum auf und weckt mit Hörnergetön, Mit [heller]5 Klänge Wellenschlag, Was früh betäubt im Schlummer lag! Es regt in den Lauben Des Waldes sich schon; Die Vöglein sie glauben, Die Nacht sey entflohn. Die wandernden Rehe Verlieren sich zag; Sie wähnen, es gehe Schon bald an den Tag; [Vom Quell her erschallt es, Als wär' er erwacht;]6 Die Wipfel des Waldes Erbrausen mit Macht; Und rufen wir im Sange: Die Nacht ist im Walde daheim, So ruft [das]7 Echo lange: Sie ist im Wald daheim! Drum sey uns, doppelt hier im Wald Gegrüßt, o [stille]8 Nacht; Wo Alles, was dich schön uns mahlt, Uns noch weit schöner lacht.
Confirmed with Allgemeine Theaterzeitung und Unterhaltungsblatt für Freunde der Kunst, Literatur und des geselligen Lebens. Zwanzigster Jahrgang. Nr. 103. Wien, Dinstag den 28. August 1827. Herausgeber und Redakteur: Adolf Bäuerle.
1 Schubert: "Zweige"2 Schubert: "seinem"
3 Schubert: "nur dein Mund"
4 Schubert: "Senket das Aug'"
5 Schubert: "hellerer"
6 Schubert interchanged these two lines with the following two.
7 Schubert: "auch"
8 Schubert: "holde"
Authorship:
- by Johann Gabriel Seidl (1804 - 1875), "Nachtgesang im Walde", first published 1827 [author's text checked 1 time 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 Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Nachtgesang im Walde", op. posth. 139 (Zwei Lieder) no. 2, D 913 (1827), published 1846, first performed 1827 [ vocal quartet of male voices and horn quartet ], Tobias Haslinger's Witwe & Sohn, Wien [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Cançó de nit al bosc", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Nachtgezang in het woud", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Nighttime song in the forest", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Chant nocturne dans la forêt", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Carlo Vitali , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 38
Word count: 181
Be always greeted by us, oh night, But doubly so here in the forest, Where your eyes smile more clandestinely, Where your footsteps echo more quietly! Upon the branches' leafy goblets You pour out your silver, You hang the moon with [its gentle]1 beams As a lamp for us in the house of leaves. Soughing little breezes Are your conversation; Spinning beams Are your threads, Everything that your lips touched soothingly, Lowers its [eyes]2 and sinks into sleep! And yet, - it is too lovely for sleeping, Therefore arise and wake with the sound of horns, With the wave-beats of brighter resonances, That which prematurely lay numbed in slumber! There is already movement In the foliage of the forest; The birds are of the belief That night has flown. The wandering deer Timidly withdraw; They think that soon Day will dawn; [From the well-spring come sounds As if it had been awakened;]3 The treetops of the forest Begin to roar mightily; And we cry out in song: The night is at home in the forest, Then for a long time [the echo]4 cries: It is at home in the forest! Therefore, oh [quiet]5 night, be doubly greeted By us here in the forest; Where everything that portrays you to us as beautiful, Smiles even more beautifully upon us.
1 Schubert: "its"
2 Schubert: "eye"
3 Schubert interchanged these two lines with the following two.
4 Schubert: "Echo, too,"
5 Schubert: "lovely, lovely"
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2018 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.
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Johann Gabriel Seidl (1804 - 1875), "Nachtgesang im Walde", first published 1827
This text was added to the website: 2018-06-29
Line count: 38
Word count: 218