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Nicht lange ist's her, da lachte Die Welt mir und das Meer, Da kam der Sturm, und machte Das Herz mir todt und schwer. Und doch muß ich es tragen Hier in der Brust wie Stein, Bei jeder meiner Klagen, Da sinkt es tiefer ein. Ich fühl' nicht mehr sein Klopfen, Dem kalten Erz ist's gleich -- Die heißen Thränentropfen, Die machten es nicht weich. Denn meine Thränen sprühten Als Feuerfunken drauf, Und härteten und glühten Zu Stahl es. -- Hebt es auf, Ihr Seufzer, reißt das Herz mir Doch aus der Brust! Befreit Mich, nehmt den Schmerz mir, Die große Müdigkeit. Versenkt es in die Wellen, In's große weite Meer, Den Felsen zugesellen Das Herz, so todt und schwer.
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with: Carmen Sylva, Sappho, Leipzig: F.A. Brockhaus, 1880, pages 42-43.
Text Authorship:
- by Elisabeth Pauline Ottilie Luise zu Wied, Prinzessin (1843 - 1916), as Carmen Sylva, no title, appears in Sappho, in 2. Zweiter Gesang [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 Hans Sommer (1837 - 1922), "Nicht lange ist's her, da lachte die Welt mir und das Meer", op. 6 no. 4 (1883/84), published 1884 [ voice and piano or orchestra ], from Sappho's Gesänge aus Carmen Sylva's Dichtung, no. 4, Braunschweig, H. Litolff [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2014-12-26
Line count: 24
Word count: 118
Not long ago, the world and The sea laughed for me, Then a storm came and made My heart dead and heavy. And yet I must bear it Here in my breast like a stone; With every one of my laments, It sinks in more deeply. I no longer feel its beating, It is like cold bronze -- The fervent teardrops Did not soften it. For my tears sprayed Like fiery sparks upon it, And hardened it to steel and Made it incandesce. -- Pick it up, You sighs, tear the heart From out my breast! Free Me, take my pain away, My great fatigue. Plunge it into the waves[,] Into the great wide sea, Let it keep company with the rocks, The heart, so dead and heavy.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text 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 Elisabeth Pauline Ottilie Luise zu Wied, Prinzessin (1843 - 1916), as Carmen Sylva, no title, appears in Sappho, in 2. Zweiter Gesang
This text was added to the website: 2014-12-26
Line count: 24
Word count: 126