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Was weckst du mich auf in der thauigen Nacht, Du sehnsuchtflötende Nachtigall? Nun ist mit deinem melodischen Schall Auch ein Widerhall Vergangenen Glücks erwacht. Wie heute schlugst du im Lindenbaum Ich herzte und küßte mein rosiges Kind; Die Saiten der Liebe erbebten gelind Wie Harfen im Wind O seliger Maientraum! Und als ich gekommen nach manchem Jahr, Da schwammen in Thränen die Äugelein blau, Der Lenz in dem Herzen, der Lenz auf der Au War hin, weil ein Thau Auf beide gefallen war. Was lockst du mich wieder mit dunkler Gewalt, Mit Lügen von Lenz und von Liebeslust? Da längst doch verdorrt in der eigenen Brust Der schwellende Blust Und die jubelnden Lieder verhallt. O Nachtigall, flötend im Lindenbaum! Der Frühling vergeht und die trügende Gunst Der Götter... Was soll uns die fröhliche Kunst? Die Liebe ist Dunst Und das flüchtige Leben ein Traum.
C. Hohfeld sets stanzas 1-2
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with Gedichte von Heinrich Leuthold, Dritte vermehrte Auflage, Frauenfeld, Verlag von J. Huber, 1884, page 4.
Text Authorship:
- by Heinrich Leuthold (1827 - 1879), "Sehnsucht", written 1870, appears in Gedichte, in 1. Vermischte Gedichte [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 Max Hasse , "Sehnsucht", op. 3 ([Acht] Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 7, published 1890 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Klemm [sung text not yet checked]
- by Carl Hohfeld (flourished 1884-1895), "Maientraum", published 1895, stanzas 1-2 [ voice and piano ], from Lieder und Gesänge, no. 22, Mainz: Kittlitz-Schott [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Ferdinand Schilling (1849 - 1930), "Sehnsucht", op. 30 (Vier Gedichte für 1 hohe Singstimme mit Pianofortebleitung) no. 4, published 1889 [ voice and piano ], from Sechs Gedichte von Heinrich Leuthold für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebleitung, no. 6, Frankfurt a/M., Steyl & Thomas [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2013-12-15
Line count: 25
Word count: 144
Why do you waken me in the dewy night, You nightingale, fluting of yearning? Now, with your melodious sound, An echo, too, Of bygone happiness has wakened. Today as you were jugging in the linden tree I embraced and kissed my rosy child; The strings of love trembled gently Like harps in the wind[;] Oh blessed May-dream! And when after many a year I returned, Her dear blue eyes were awash with tears Spring in her heart, spring upon the meadow Were gone, because a dew Had fallen upon them both. Why do you entice me again with darksome power, With lies of spring and of love’s joy? Since long ago already in my own breast The swelling blossoming has withered And the echoes of rejoicing songs have died away. Oh nightingale, fluting in the linden tree! Springtime passes away and the deceitful benevolence Of the gods . . . Of what use to us are the happy arts? Love is mist And fleeting life is a dream.
About the headline (FAQ)
Translations of title(s):
"Maientraum" = "Dream in May"
"Sehnsucht" = "Yearning"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2022 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 Heinrich Leuthold (1827 - 1879), "Sehnsucht", written 1870, appears in Gedichte, in 1. Vermischte Gedichte
This text was added to the website: 2022-08-29
Line count: 25
Word count: 168