I wandered by the brook-side, I wandered by the mill, -- I could not hear the brook flow, The noisy wheel was still; There was no burr of grasshopper, Nor chirp of any bird, But the beating of my own heart Was all the sound I heard. I sat beneath the elm-tree, I watched the long, long shade, And as it grew still longer, I did not feel afraid; For I listened for a foot-fall, I listened for a word; But the beating of my own heart Was all the sound I heard. He came not, -- no, he came not, -- The night came on alone; The little stars came one by one, Each in his golden throne. The evening air passed by my cheek, The leaves above were stirr'd, -- But the beating of my own heart Was all the sound I heard. Fast silent tears were flowing, When something stood behind, -- A hand was on my shoulder, I knew its touch was kind; It drew me nearer -- nearer, -- We did not speak one word, For the beating of our own hearts Was all the sound we heard.
Confirmed with Poems of Many Years by Richard Monckton Milnes. A new edition, Boston: William D. Ticknor, 1846. Appears in Songs, no. 4, pages 243 - 244.
Text Authorship:
- by Richard Monckton Milnes, Lord Houghton (1809 - 1885), appears in Poems of Many Years, in Songs, no. 4 [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 Catherine Charlotte Maberly (1805 - 1875), "I wandered by the brook-side", published 1844?, from Songs, ballads, &c, no. 2, London : Cramer, Addison & Beale [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Luise von Plönnies, née Leisler (1803 - 1872) , "Schäferlied", appears in Britannia ; composed by Franz Wilhelm Abt, Alexander Winterberger.
Researcher for this page: Melanie Trumbull
This text was added to the website: 2020-12-14
Line count: 32
Word count: 186
Ich ging am Bachesufer, Ich ging den Mühlenpfad; Den Bach hört' ich nicht rauschen, Und nicht das Mühlenrad. Es schwirrten keine Käfer, Es sang kein Vögelein; -- Doch das Schlagen meines Herzens, Das hört' ich ganz allein. Dann saß ich unter'm Baume, Und sah, wie schwarz und lang Sich Abendschatten senkten, Doch ward mir d'rum nicht bang; Denn Einem Fußtritt lauschte, Einem Wort die Seele mein; -- Doch meines Herzens Schlagen, Das hört' ich ganz allein. Er kam nicht, -- nein, er kam nicht, -- Die Nacht, sie nahte schon; Es setzten sich die Sternlein Auf ihren gold'nen Thron. Die Abendlüfte streiften Die heiße Wange mein; -- Doch das Schlagen meines Herzens, Das hört' ich ganz allein. Still flossen meine Thränen, Als Jemand bei mir stand; -- Auf meine Schulter legte Sich eine sanfte Hand. Es zog mich nah und näher, -- Still war's in Flur und Hain, Und das Schlagen uns'rer Herzen, Das hörten wir allein.
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Confirmed with Brittania. Eine Auswahl englischer Dichtungen alter und neuer Zeit, in's deutsche übersetzt von Louise von Ploennies, Frankfurt am Main: S. Schmerber'schen Buchhandlung, 1843. pages 599 - 601.
Text Authorship:
- by Luise von Plönnies, née Leisler (1803 - 1872), "Schäferlied", appears in Britannia [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by Richard Monckton Milnes, Lord Houghton (1809 - 1885), appears in Poems of Many Years, in Songs, no. 4
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Franz Wilhelm Abt (1819 - 1885), "Das Schlagen meines Herzens", op. 94 (5 Lieder für Alt oder Bass oder Bariton mit Pianoforte) no. 5, published 1853 [ alto or bass or baritone and piano ], Offenbach, André [sung text not yet checked]
- by Alexander Winterberger (1834 - 1914), "Ich ging am Bachesufer", op. 34 (Sechs Gesänge für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1875 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Kahnt [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this page: Melanie Trumbull
This text was added to the website: 2020-12-14
Line count: 32
Word count: 150