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Der Spielmann saß am Felsen Und blickte hinunter in's Meer Und sah die Wogen sich wälzen Und fluthen um sich her. Die Zither lag zur Seite, Die Luft war rein und mild; Und wie aus ferner Weite Kam ihm manch' liebes Bild. Kam auch der Schlummer treulich, Spielt’ um das Silberhaar Und schloß so still und heilig Das müde Augenpaar. Und mit dem Kreis der Träume Kam Jugendlust herauf; Und viel zerknickte Keime Blühten lebendig auf. Und alte schöne Stunden Wurden ihm wieder neu, Als hätt' er Liebchen gefunden Und Liebchen [wär’]1 ihm treu. Da faßt' ein plötzlich Grausen Ihn wie mit Sturmesweh'n, Und Wogen hört er brausen, Sah Liebchen untergeh'n.-- Und jetzt aus seinen Traümen Der Spielmann schnell erwacht, Und sieht die Wogen schäumen Und sieht der Wellen Nacht. Und hört die Winde pfeifen Und stürmen um sich her, [Thät]2 nach der Zither greifen, Fand keine Zither mehr. Die Zither schwimmt in den Wellen, Der Sturm riß sie hinab, Und seine Thränen quellen Bei seiner Liebsten Grab. Da wird's ihm, als ob sie riefe, Als klängen die Saiten an; Und er stürzt sich hinab in die Tiefe Und bricht durch die Wellen sich Bahn. Und von Weitem sieht er sie blinken Und kämpft sich zu ihr her, Und hält sie empor, dann versinken So Zither wie Spielmann in's Meer.
Confirmed with Theodors Körner’s sämmtliche Werke, ed. Karl Streckfuß, Berlin: Verlag der Nicolai’schen Buchhandlung, 1858, pages 170-171.
1 Strauss: "war"
2 Strauss: "Tat"
Authorship:
- by (Karl) Theodor Körner (1791 - 1813), "Spielmann und Zither", appears in Nachtrag, Ungedrucktes [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 Richard Georg Strauss (1864 - 1949), "Spielmann und Zither", WoO 40 (1878) [sung text checked 2 times]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "El músic i la cítara", copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Musician and zither", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Le musicien et la cithare", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Alberto Pedrotti , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 44
Word count: 220
The musician sat upon the cliff And gazed down into the sea And saw the waves rolling And surging about him. His zither lay off to the side, The air was pure and mild; And as if from a great distance Many a dear image appeared to him. Slumber, too, came faithfully, And played about his silver hair And, in such a silent and holy manner, Closed his tired eyes. And with the circle of dreams The joy of youth surged up; And many broken plantlets Bloomed again with life. And old beautiful hours Became new for him again, As if he had found his beloved And his beloved [were]1 faithful to him. Then a sudden dread seizes Him as with the blowing of a storm, And he hears the waves roaring, Saw his beloved sinking.-- And now from his dreams The musician quickly awakes, And sees the foaming of the billows And sees the night of the waves. And hears the winds whistling And storming about him. He reached for his zither, But found no zither any longer. The zither floats in the waves, The storm pulled it down, And his tears well forth By the grave of his beloved. Then it seemed to him as if it were calling, As if the strings were sounding; And he plunges down into the deep And makes his way through the waves. And from afar he sees it gleaming And he battles his way toward it, And he holds it up, then both The zither and the musician sink into the sea.
1 Strauss: "was"
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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by (Karl) Theodor Körner (1791 - 1813), "Spielmann und Zither", appears in Nachtrag, Ungedrucktes
This text was added to the website: 2014-09-04
Line count: 44
Word count: 261