Attention! Some of this material is not in the public domain.
It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.
If you wish to reprint translations, please use the Reprint Basket (upper right hand corner).
Reminder: You must always use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.
O welch ein Leben, ein ganzes Meer von Lust und Wonne fließt um mich her, mir blühet Freude auf jeder Bahn und was ich suche, das lacht mich an, und was ich höre, das ist Jubelton, und was ich fühle, entzücket schon. Wohl mir! ich lebe um Minnesold, und alle Mädchen sind mir so hold, von manchem Auge, das freundlich blinkt, wird Glück der Liebe mir zugewinkt. Was glänzet schöner als Mädchenblick, was gleicht auf Erden der Liebe Glück? Auf steilen Höhen, im stillen Tal, beim Licht des Mondes, im Sonnenstrahl, bei Tanz und Spielen, beim Rundgesang, bei sanftem Flöten und Geigen Klang sind gute Menschen an Freuden reich. Seid auch so glücklich und freuet euch.
Text Authorship:
- by Johann Gottlieb Stephanie der Jüngere (1741 - 1800), written 1779?, Wien: zu finden beym Logenmeister, first published 1779 [author's text not yet checked 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 Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827), "O welch ein Leben, ein ganzes Meer", WoO. 91 no. 1 (1795), published 1888 [ tenor and orchestra ], Leipzig: Breitkopf und Härtel [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Garrett Medlock) , "Oh what a life, a whole sea", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Garrett Medlock [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2018-10-12
Line count: 18
Word count: 116
Oh what a life, a whole sea of pleasure and joy flows around me, joy blooms for me on every course and what I seek [entices me]1, and what I hear is [a] cheerful sound, and what I feel delights [me] already. Oh me! I live on the wages of love, and all maidens are to me so fair, from some eye that twinkles amiably will [the] joy of love beckon to me. What shines more beautifully than [a] maiden’s glance, what upon Earth resembles love’s happiness? On steep heights, in the quiet valley, by the light of the moon, in the sun’s rays, by dance and game, by the round song, by gentle flutes and [the] violin’s sound are good people in joys rich. Be also so happy and rejoice.
1 Or "laughs with me"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2018 by Garrett Medlock, (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 Johann Gottlieb Stephanie der Jüngere (1741 - 1800), written 1779?, Wien: zu finden beym Logenmeister, first published 1779
This text was added to the website: 2018-10-14
Line count: 18
Word count: 133