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Holde Sängerin der Haine! Wonne trinket die Natur; Flötest du im Strauß der Zäune Blüthbeschnei'ter Lenzesflur. Deine Kehle thaut Entzücken In die tief beklommne Brust, Und es strahlt in Engelblicken Mir die lang entbehrte Lust. Dein Geflatter, sangbegleitet, Weht, wie Säuseln aus der Gruft; Dein Gefieder, ausgebreitet, Wallt, gleich Westen, durch die Luft. Wie die Weihrauchwolken qualmen; Wie an Gottes Sternenthron Der Seraphen Lieder psalmen, Wogt dein himmelvoller Ton. Nur am Tage schwirrt der Finken Jubelvoller Schwarm empor: Nur der Sonne heiterm Blinken Rauscht der Lerchen froher Chor. Doch wenn Hespers Fackel glimmet, Schweigt die stolze Melodie: Wenn der Mond in Wolken schwimmet, Weckst du die Melancholie. Alles flieht die stillen Hügel, Wo Vergißmeinnicht entblüh'n; Du nur senkst die sanften Flügel, Wenn die lieben Sternlein zieh'n. Gerne schwebst du um die Schatten, Die im Windeslispeln geh'n, Wo sich Tod und Leben gatten, Wo die Roßmarine steh'n!
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with Joseph Dumbeck, Gedichte, Freyburg und Konstanz: in der Herderschen Buchhandlung, 1813, pages 105-106.
Authorship:
- by Joseph Dumbeck , "Die Nachtigall, am Abende unter Gräbern", subtitle: "An R . . ." [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 Carl, Freiherr von Seckendorff (flourished c1819), "Die Nachtigall", published [1819] [voice and piano], from Zwölf Lieder mit Begleitung des Pianoforte in Musik gesetzt und seiner Schwester gewidmet von Carl von Seckendorff, no. 3, Leipzig: Bey Breitkopf und Härtel [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , subtitle: "To R . . .", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2018-09-23
Line count: 32
Word count: 146
Lovely singer of the grove! Nature drinks bliss; When you flute [your song] in the bouquet of the fences Of the springtime meadow strewn with blossoms. Your throat melts rapture Into the deeply oppressed bosom, And in angelic glances shines the joy Which I lacked for so long. Your fluttering, accompanied by song, Wafts like a whispering from the sepulchre; Your outspread feathers float Through the air like the west-wind. As clouds of incense smoulder; As at the starry throne of God The songs of the seraphs sound like a psalm, Thus surges your heaven-filled tone. The rejoicing swarm of finches Only whirrs upward during the day . The joyful choir of larks only soughs To the merry shining of the sun, But when the torch of Hesperus gleams, The proud melody falls silent: When the moon floats in clouds, Then you awaken melancholy. Everything flees the quiet hills, Where forget-me-nots bloom forth; Only you fold your soft wings When the dear little stars move in their courses. Gladly you waft about the shadows That pass by in the whispering of the wind, There where death mates with life, Where the rosemary grows!
Subtitle: "To R . . ."
About the headline (FAQ)
Translations of title(s):
"Die Nachtigall, am Abende unter Gräbern" = "The nightingale, at night among the graves"
"Die Nachtigall" = "The nightingale"
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 Joseph Dumbeck , "Die Nachtigall, am Abende unter Gräbern", subtitle: "An R . . ."
This text was added to the website: 2018-09-23
Line count: 32
Word count: 194