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Chopins Nocturne Es-dur. Der Bogen Des hohen Fensters stand voll Licht. Auch deinem ernsten Angesicht War eine Glorie angeflogen. In keiner Nacht hat so mich wieder Der stille Silbermond berührt, Daß ich im Innersten verspürt Unnennbar süß ein Lied der Lieder. Du schwiegst. Auch ich; die stumme Ferne Verrann im Licht. Kein Leben war Als nur im See ein Schwänepaar Und über uns der Lauf der Sterne. Du tratest in den Fensterbogen, Um deine ausgestreckte Hand War dir vom Mond ein Silberrand Und um den schmalen Hals gezogen.
Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, 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 45-46.
Text Authorship:
- by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Nocturne", written 1899 [author's text checked 2 times 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 Johannes Schmiedel (b. 1921), "Nocturne", 1983 [ voice and guitar ] [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Nocturn", copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Nocturne", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Nocturne", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2009-06-02
Line count: 16
Word count: 88
Chopin’s Nocturne in E-flat major. The arch Of the high window stood full of light. A splendour had settled upon Your serious face as well. In no night did the silent silver moon Ever move me thus again, So that in my innermost being I felt, Unutterably sweet, a song of songs. You fell silent. I, too; the mute distance Dissolved in light. There was no life Except a pair of swans in the lake And above us the coursing of the stars. You stepped into the arch of the window, And about your outstretched hand The moon etched a silver rim, And about your slender throat.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2018 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), "Nocturne", written 1899
This text was added to the website: 2018-02-28
Line count: 16
Word count: 107