Attention! Some of this material is not in the public domain.
It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.
If you wish to reprint translations, please use the Reprint Basket (upper right hand corner).
Reminder: You must always use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.
Es sang vor langen Jahren Wohl auch die Nachtigall! Das war wohl süßer Schall, Da wir zusammen waren. Ich sing' und kann nicht weinen, Und spinne so allein, Den Faden klar und rein So lang' der Mond wird scheinen. Da wir zusammen waren, Da sang die Nachtigall; Nun mahnet mich ihr Schall, Daß du von mir gefahren. So oft der Mond mag scheinen, Gedenk' ich dein allein. Mein Herz ist klar und rein -- Gott wolle uns vereinen! Seit du von mir gefahren, Singt stets die Nachtigall, Ich denke bei ihrem Schall, Wie wir zusammen waren. Gott wolle uns vereinen! Hier spinn' ich so allein. Der Mond scheint klar und rein, Ich sing' und möchte weinen!
J. Lang sets stanza 1 in (at least) one setting - see below for more information
About the headline (FAQ)
View text with all available footnotesConfirmed with Clemens Brentano, Aus der Chronika eines fahrenden Schülers, Berlin: Paul Gerh. Heinersdorff, Hofbuchhandlung, [1871], pages 31-32.
Text Authorship:
- by Clemens Maria Wenzeslaus von Brentano (1778 - 1842), no title, written 1802, appears in Aus der Chronika eines fahrenden Schülers, first published 1818 [author's text checked 2 times against a primary source]
Go to the general view
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 126
Long years ago the nightingale Must surely have sung as well! That was indeed a sweet sound When we were together. I sing and cannot weep, And thus alone I spin The thread so clear and pure As long as the moon shall shine. When we were together The nightingale sang; Now its sound reminds me That you have gone away from me. Whenever the moon shines, I think only of you. My heart is serene and pure - May God unite us. Since you went away from me, The nightingale is always singing; When I hear it I remember How we used to be together. May God unite us! Here I spin all alone. The moon shines so clearly and purely; I sing and want to weep.
About the headline (FAQ)
View text with all available footnotesTranslated titles:
"Altes Lied" = "Old song"
"Der Spinnerin Lied" = "Song of a spinning girl"
"Der Spinnerin Nachtlied" = "Night song of a spinning girl"
"Es sang vor langen Jahren" = "Long years ago there sang"
"Lied der Spinnerin" = "Song of a spinning girl"
"Sehnsucht" = "Yearning"
Text 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 Clemens Maria Wenzeslaus von Brentano (1778 - 1842), no title, written 1802, appears in Aus der Chronika eines fahrenden Schülers, first published 1818
Go to the general view
This text was added to the website: 2006-12-23
Line count: 24
Word count: 135