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Mein Geist ist trüb und schwer, komm mit Der gold'nen Harf' und lass die Saiten rauschen, Wenn gleitet deine Hand sanft zitternd über sie hin Will ich dem Sang der Sehnsucht lauschen. Trägt mich die Hoffnung nicht, die mir das Herz bewegt, Lässt sie die Saiten schmerzlich klingen Und statt im Hirn zu starr'n wird durch der Augen Flor Mir mild die Mannesthräne dringen. Lass ihren Sang nicht Freude sein, Ihr Lied sei wild und ihre Weise töne Trauer, Hilf, Harfner, meiner Pein, mein armes Herz Zerspringt wenn es nicht lös't der Thränen Schauer. Es rang so lange Zeit, von Gram allein genährt, Mit seiner Seufzer stummen Drange. Jetzt, da der schwere Fluch es zur Entscheidung drängt, Jetzt bricht es, oder schmilzt im Klange!
Text Authorship:
Based on:
- a text in Russian (Русский) by Mikhail Yur'yevich Lermontov (1814 - 1841), no title
Based on:
- a text in English by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788 - 1824), "My soul is dark", appears in Hebrew Melodies, no. 9, adaptation of I Samuel 16:14-23, first published 1815
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Anton Grigoryevich Rubinstein (1829 - 1894), "Hebräische Melodie", op. 78 (Zwölf Lieder aus dem Russischen von W. Osterwald (Twelve Russian Songs)) no. 1 (c1867), published 1868 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Senff, also set in Russian (Русский) [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Hebrew melody", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2019-04-25
Line count: 16
Word count: 124
My spirit is dull and heavy, come with Your golden harp and let the strings resound, When your hand glides over them with a gentle trembling I shall listen to the song of yearning. Though the hope that moves my heart does not bear me, It lets the strings sound full of pain And instead of freezing in my brain, the manly tear Shall gently penetrate the veil of my eyes. Let [the harp's] singing not be of joy, Let its song be wild and its lay sound sorrow; Harper, help my pain; my poor heart Shall burst if it is not released by the shower of tears. Nourished only by grief, it struggled such a long time With the mute urging of its sighs. Now that the heavy curse forced it to a resolution, Now it must break, or melt in sound!
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2019 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) Wilhelm Osterwald (1820 - 1887)
Based on:
- a text in Russian (Русский) by Mikhail Yur'yevich Lermontov (1814 - 1841), no title
Based on:
- a text in English by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788 - 1824), "My soul is dark", appears in Hebrew Melodies, no. 9, adaptation of I Samuel 16:14-23, first published 1815
This text was added to the website: 2019-04-25
Line count: 16
Word count: 143