Im Mummelsee, im dunklen See

Im Mummelsee, im [dunklen]1 See,
Da blüh'n der Lilien viele,
Sie wiegen sich, sie biegen sich,
Dem losen Wind zum Spiele;
Doch wenn die Nacht herniedersinkt,
Der volle Mond am Himmel blinkt,
Entsteigen sie dem Bade
Als Jungfern am Gestade.

Es bläst der Wind, es saust das Rohr
Die Melodie zum Tanze,
Die Lilienmädchen schlingen sich,
Als wie zu einem Kranze;
Und schweben leis' umher im Kreis,
Gesichter weiss, Gewänder weiß
Bis ihre bleichen Wangen
Mit zarter Röte prangen.

Es braust der Sturm, es pfeift das Rohr,
Es rauscht im Tannenwalde,
Die Wolken zieh'n am Monde hin,
Die Schatten auf der Halde;
Und auf und ab, durch's nasse Gras
Dreht sich der Reigen ohne Mass,
Und immer lauter schwellen
An's Ufer an die Wellen.

Da hebt ein Arm sich aus der Flut,
Die Riesenfaust geballet
Ein triefend Haupt dann, schilfbekränzt
Vom langen Bart umwallet,
Und eine Donnerstimme schallt,
Daß im Gebirg' as widerhallt:
»Zurück in eure Wogen,
Ihr Lilien ungezogen!«

Da stockt der Tanz, die Mädchen schrein,
Und werden immer blässer:
»Der Vater ruft, hu, Morgenluft!
Zurück in das Gewässer!«
Die Nebel steigen aus dem Tal,
Es dämmert schon der Morgenstrahl,
Und Lilien schwanken wieder
Im Wasser auf und nieder.

Translation(s): ENG ITA

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Authorship

• by August Schnezler (1809 - 1853) [ author's text not yet checked 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 Ignaz Brüll (1846 - 1907), "Vom Mummelsee", op. 63 (Fünf Lieder für 1 mittlere Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 5, published 1891 [medium voice or high voice and piano], Wien, Doblinger [
   text not verified 
  ]
• by Johann Karl Gottfried Loewe (1796 - 1869), "Der Mummelsee", op. 116 no. 3 (1849?) [
   text verified 1 time
  ]
• by Joseph (Gabriel) Rheinberger (1839 - 1901), "Mummelsee", op. 95 (Zwei Gesänge) no. 1, published 1876 [SATB chorus and piano], Leipzig, Forberg [
   text not verified 
  ]

Available translations, adaptations, and transliterations (if applicable):

• ENG English (Lawrence Snyder) , title 1: "The water-lily lake", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , title 1: "Mummelsee", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Text added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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Mummelsee

Nel Mummelsee, nel lago scuro,
fioriscono molti gigli, 
si cullano, si piegano, 
gioco del vento libero;
ma quando scende la notte,
splende in cielo la luna piena,
scendono al bagno, 
in forma di fanciulle.

Il vento soffia, modula la canna
la melodia per la danza,
le fanciulle-giglio si intrecciano
come una corona; e si muovono
lievi intorno, in cerchio,
bianche in viso, bianche le vesti,
fin che le pallide gote
splendono delicatamente rosate.

Mugghia la tempesta, fischiano le canne,
stormisce il bosco, 
le nuvole coprono la luna,
proiettano ombre sul pendio;
e su e giù, sull'erba umida,
continua la ridda senza sosta,
e sempre più forte si frangono
le onde sulla riva.

Ma si leva un braccio dalle acque,
col gigantesco pugno chiuso.
Una testa gocciolante, 
coronata di canne,
incorniciata da una lunga barba,
e risuona una voce di tuono:
"Tornate nelle vostre onde!
Voi gigli sfrenati!"

Finisce la danza, le fanciulle gridano
e diventano sempre più pallide:
"Il padre chiama! Oh, già la luce del giorno!
Di nuovo in acqua!"
Le nebbie sorgono dalla valle,
brilla già il raggio del mattino,
e i gigli ondeggiano di nuovo
su e giù nell'acqua.

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Authorship

• Translation from German (Deutsch) to Italian (Italiano) copyright © 2007 by Amelia Maria Imbarrato, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you must ask the copyright-holder(s) directly for permission. If you receive no response, you must consider it a refusal.
  
  Amelia Maria Imbarrato. We have no current contact information for the copyright-holder.
  
  
  If you wish to commission a new translation, please contact:
  
  (licenses at lieder dot net)
  
  
  
  

• a text in German (Deutsch) by August Schnezler (1809 - 1853) ENG
• This text was set to music by the following composer(s): Ignaz Brüll, Johann Karl Gottfried Loewe, Joseph Rheinberger. Go to the text.

Text added to the website: 2007-09-25.
Last modified: 2014-06-16 10:02:27
Line count: 40
Word count: 192