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Ich liebe solche bunt beglänzte Nächte Im Flackerlicht der Lampen, und ich flechte Gern meiner Lieder fiebernd Rot darein. Sieh, Liebste, wie sich dort die Jugend drängt Im späten Tanz, und wie für uns allein Der Sichelmond im Rauch der Fackeln hängt. In solchen Nächten lauscht mein zitternd Herz Mit Qual und Lust heimat und jugendwärts, Und schlägt im Takt verliebter Melodien. Mein Auge aber schaut den fremden Mond Im Silberkahn auf sichern Wegen ziehen Und ist wie er der Einsamkeit gewohnt. Sieh, meine Jugend war ein farbig Spiel, Ein Tanz im Fieber, wild und ohne Ziel Und schwand verknisternd wie ein Meteor. Dann kreuzt' ich unstät durch die Welt und fand Dem Haupt kein Lager, meinem Lied kein Ohr, Und nur im Traum ein blasses Heimwehland. Schau dort! Die heiße Menge wogt im Tanz Und glüht vor Lust und wirft den Loderkranz Der kurzen Freude jauchzend in die Lüfte. Ist's doch, als spielte meine Jugend dort Im süßen Rausch fremdländisch heißer Düfte Das alte Spiel in neuen Tänzen fort. Das alte Spiel! Nur daß ich jetzt abseits Zuschauend lehne und den süßen Reiz Des Taumeltranks auf kühler Lippe wäge, Und daß mein Geist gleichgültig Umschau hält Und meines Herzens heimwehrasche Schläge Lächelnd wie Takte eines Liedes zählt.
R. Töpfer sets stanzas 1-2, 4 in (at least) one setting - see below for more information
R. Töpfer sets stanzas 1, 3-4 in (at least) one setting - see below for more information
About the headline (FAQ)
Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada and the U.S., but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.
Confirmed with Hermann Hesse, Sämtliche Werke, herausgegeben von Volker Michels, Band 10 Die Gedichte, bearbeitet von Peter Huber, Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag, 2002, pages 52-53.
Authorship:
- by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Italienische Nacht", written 1898, appears in Neue deutsche Lyriker III , in Süden, first published 1919 [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 Rudolf Töpfer (b. 1891), "Italienische Musik", stanzas 1-2,4 [ three soli, men's chorus ad libitum, and woodwind quintet ], from Eine Stimme singt in der Nacht - Kantate nach Gedichten von Hermann Hesse, no. 6 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Rudolf Töpfer (b. 1891), "Italienische Nacht", 1958, stanzas 1,3-4 [ baritone and string quartet ] [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Italian night", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2014-08-19
Line count: 30
Word count: 208
I love such colourfully sparkling nights In the flickering light of the lamps, and with gladness I weave the feverish red of my songs therein. See, beloved, how yonder the young folk throng In a late dance, and how for us alone The crescent moon hangs in the smoke of the torches. In such nights my trembling heart listens With misery and joy [for sounds of] home and youth, And beats in the rhythm of lovelorn melodies. My eye, however, gazes upon the foreign moon Travelling in a silver boat upon sure ways, And, like the moon, I am accustomed to loneliness. See, my youth was a colourful game, A fevered dance, wild and without a goal And, with a final crackle, it vanished like a meteor. Then erratically I roamed through the world and found No resting place for my head, no ear to listen to my songs, And only in my dreams a pale land of homesickness. See there! The hot throng sways in the dance And glows with rapture and tosses the flaming wreath Of ephemeral happiness rejoicingly into the air. It is as if there, in the sweet intoxication of hot scents from foreign lands, My youth were continuing to play The old game in new dances. The old game! Only that now, off to the side, I stand watching and ponder the sweet allure Of the intoxicating drink upon cool lips, And that my spirit looks about with indifference And smilingly counts my heartbeats - rapid with homesickness - Like the measures of a song.
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2014 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 Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Italienische Nacht", written 1898, appears in Neue deutsche Lyriker III , in Süden, first published 1919
This text was added to the website: 2014-08-19
Line count: 30
Word count: 260