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Wer einsam steht im bunten Lebenskreise Und was das Leben teuer macht, verlor, Wie bebt sein Herz, trifft eine liebe Weise Aus ferner Jugendzeit sein horchend Ohr. Willkommen Töne! Eures Hauches Fächeln Weckt eine schlummernde Gedankenwelt, Verweinte Augen lernen wieder lächeln, Die düst're Stirn ist plötzlich aufgehellt. Der Zephyr, der in reichen Blütendüften Des Orients sich hin- und hergewiegt, Verbreitet Balsamhauch noch in den Lüften, Wenn schon die Blume welk am Boden liegt. So lebt, ist auch der Traum des Glücks entschwunden, Erinnerung im Hauche der Musik; Ein kleines Lied aus jenen bessern Stunden Bringt uns die alte Seligkeit zurück. Musik, Du Mächtige, vor Dir entschwindet Der armen Sprache ausdrucksvollstes Wort; Warum auch sagen, was das Herz empfindet, Tönt doch in Dir die ganze Seele fort. Der Freundschaft Worte haben oft gelogen, Es täuscht die Liebe durch Beredsamkeit ; Musik allein hat nie ein Herz betrogen Und viele tausend Herzen hocherfreut.
C. Loewe sets stanzas 1-4
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View text with all available footnotesText Authorship:
- by Helene Luise Elisabeth zu Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Prinzessin (1814 - 1858), "Musik" [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
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Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor], Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 162
He who stands alone in the bright ring of life And has lost that which makes life precious, How his heart trembles when a precious strain of music From distant youth reaches his listening ear. Welcome, sounds! Your breath's fanning Awakens a slumbering world of thoughts, Tear-dimmed eyes learn to smile again, The sombre brow is suddenly lightened. The zephyr that in the rich blossom scents Of the Orient has swayed back and forth , Still disperses a breath of balsam in the breezes, When the flower already lies wilted on the ground. Thus, even if the dream of happiness has already vanished, Memory lives in the breath of music; A little song from those better times Brings all the old bliss back for us. Music, you mighty one, before you vanishes The most expressive word of our poor language; Why should one speak what the heart feels, When in you , music, the whole soul resounds. Words of friendship have often lied, Love deludes through eloquence; Music alone has never deceived a single heart And has made many thousands of hearts glad.
About the headline (FAQ)
View text with all available footnotesTranslated titles:
"Musik" = "Music"
"Die Macht der Musik" = "The power of music"
"Wer einsam steht im bunten Lebenskreise" = "He who stands alone in the bright ring of life"
"Hymne an die Musik" = "Hymn to music"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2011 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 Helene Luise Elisabeth zu Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Prinzessin (1814 - 1858), "Musik"
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This text was added to the website: 2011-04-28
Line count: 24
Word count: 189