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Muttersprache, Mutterlaut! Wie so wonnesam, so traut! Erstes Wort, das mir erschallet, Süßes, erstes Liebeswort, Erster Ton, den ich gelallet, Klingest ewig in mir fort. Ach, wie trüb ist meinem Sinn, Wenn [sic] ich in der Fremde bin, Wann ich fremde Zungen üben, Fremde Worte brauchen muß, Die ich nimmermehr kann lieben, Die nicht klingen als ein Gruß! Sprache, schön und wunderbar, Ach, wie klingest du so klar! Will noch tiefer mich vertiefen In den Reichtum, in die Pracht, Ist mir's doch, als ob mich riefen Väter aus des Grabes Nacht. Klinge, klinge fort und fort, Heldensprache, Liebeswort, Steig' empor aus tiefen Grüften, Längst verschollnes altes Lied! Leb' auf's neu in heil'gen Schriften, Daß dir jedes Herz erglüht. Überall weht Gottes Hauch, Heilig ist wohl mancher Brauch. Aber soll ich beten, danken, Geb' ich meine Liebe kund, Meine seligsten Gedanken, Sprech' ich wie der Mutter Mund!
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with Max von Schenkendorf's sämmtliche Gedichte, Erste vollständige Ausgabe, Berlin: bei Gustav Eichler, 1837, pages 266-267.
Text Authorship:
- by (Gottlob Ferdinand) Max(imilian) Gottfried von Schenkendorf (1783 - 1817), title 1: "Muttersprache", title 2: "Unsere Muttersprache", written 1814, appears in Vaterland [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 Carl Gottlieb Hering (1766 - 1853), "Muttersprache", published 1880 [ SATB chorus a cappella ], from [Zwölf] Lieder für S., A., T. und B., no. 1, Dresden, Näumann [sung text not yet checked]
- by Robert Kahn (1865 - 1951), "Muttersprache", op. 75 (45 Lieder für dreistimmigen Chor a capella) no. 8 (1924) [ three-part chorus a cappella ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ludwig Liebe (1819 - 1900), "Muttersprache", op. 23 [ four-part men's chorus a cappella ], Mainz: B. Schott [sung text not yet checked]
- by Wilhelm Sauer , "Muttersprache", op. 10 (Drei vierstimmige Männerchöre) no. 1, published 1883 [ ttbb chorus ], Schleusingen: Glaser [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2026, (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: 2009-04-21
Line count: 30
Word count: 146
Mother tongue, mother sound! How so blissful, so familiar! First word that sounded for me, Sweet first word of love, First sound that I babbled [as a baby], You echo in me forever. Ah, how dreary is my spirit When I am in foreign lands, When I must practise speaking foreign tongues, Must use strange words That I can nevermore love, That do not sound like a greeting! Language, beautiful and wondrous, Ah, how you sound so clearly! I wish to immerse myself even more deeply In the richness, in the splendour, For it seems to me as if ancestors Called me from out of the night of their graves. Resound, resound on and on, Language of heroes, words of love, Rise up from out of deep tombs, Long-lost ancient song! Live anew in holy writings, So that every heart comes aglow for you. God's breath wafts everywhere, Many a custom may be holy. But if I am to pray, to give thanks, When I proclaim my love, My most blessed thoughts, I speak like the lips of my mother!
About the headline (FAQ)
Translations of titles:
"Muttersprache" = "Mother tongue"
"Unsere Muttersprache" = "Our mother tongue"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2026 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.
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by (Gottlob Ferdinand) Max(imilian) Gottfried von Schenkendorf (1783 - 1817), title 1: "Muttersprache", title 2: "Unsere Muttersprache", written 1814, appears in Vaterland
This text was added to the website: 2026-10-25
Line count: 30
Word count: 180