An die Melancholie | Zum Wein, zu Freunden bin ich dir entflohn

by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962)

An die Melancholie

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: CAT ENG FRE ITA

Zum Wein, zu Freunden bin ich dir entflohn,
Da mir vor deinem dunklen Auge graute,
In Liebesarmen und beim Klang der Laute
Vergaß ich dich, dein ungetreuer Sohn.

Du aber gingest mir verschwiegen nach
Und warst im Wein, den ich verzweifelt zechte,
Warst in der Schwüle meiner Liebesnächte
Und warest noch im Hohn, den ich dir sprach.

Nun kühlst du die erschöpften Glieder mir
Und hast mein Haupt in deinen Schoß genommen,
Da ich von meinen Fahrten heimgekommen:
Denn all mein Irren war ein Weg zu dir.

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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 201-202.

Text Authorship:

by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "An die Melancholie", written 1912 [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 Wilhelm Lache , "An die Melancholie" [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
by Theophil Laitenberger (1903 - 1996), "An die Melancholie", 1922-4 [ medium voice and piano ], from Drei Lieder für mittlere Stimme zu Gedichten von Hermann Hesse, no. 2 [sung text checked 1 time]
by Ernst Ludwig Leitner (b. 1943), "An die Melancholie", 1975, first performed 1977 [ medium voice and piano ], from Vier Lieder, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2009-05-21
Line count: 12
Word count: 87