Vom Baum des Lebens - Sechs Lieder nach Gedichten von Hermann Hesse

Song Cycle by Wilhelm Fehres (1901 - 1991)

1. Sommernacht
 (Sung text)

Language: German (Deutsch) 
Tropfen sinken, die Luft ist bang.
Noch geht kein Wind.
Ein Trunkener singt die Straße entlang.
Sein Lied ist irr und schwach wie ein Kind.

Nun schweigt er ganz:
Der Himmel zerreißt
Und grell im blauweißen Glanz
Der Blitze die Straße gleißt.

Wie Getrabe von weißen Rossen
Rauscht Regen heran.
Alles Licht erlosch, alle Form zerrann,
Stürzende Wogen halten mich eingeschlossen.

Text Authorship:

  • by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), title 1: "Sommernacht", title 2: "Gewitterregen in der Sommernacht (in Unterwegs)", subtitle: "(1910)", written 1910, appears in Unterwegs, first published 1911

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada and the U.S., but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.

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 155-156.

Research team for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor] , Pierre Mathé [Guest Editor]

2. Blume, Baum, Vogel
 (Sung text)

Language: German (Deutsch) 
Bist allein im Leeren,
Glühst einsam, Herz,
Grüßt dich am Abgrund
Dunkle Blume Schmerz.

Reckt seine Äste
Der hohe Baum Leid,
Singt in den Zweigen
Vogel Ewigkeit.

Blume Schmerz ist schweigsam,
Findet kein Wort,
Der Baum wächst bis in die Wolken,
Und der Vogel singt immerfort.

Text Authorship:

  • by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Blume, Baum, Vogel", written 1916

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.

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

3. Herbst
 (Sung text)

Language: German (Deutsch) 
Ihr Vögel im Gesträuch,
Wie flattert euer Gesang
Den bräunenden Wald entlang --
Ihr Vögel, sputet euch!

Bald kommt der Wind, der weht,
Bald kommt der Tod, der mäht,
Bald kommt das graue Gespenst und lacht,
Daß uns das Herz erfriert
Und der Garten all seine Pracht
Und das Leben all seinen Glanz verliert.

Liebe Vögel im Laub,
Liebe Brüderlein,
Lasset uns singen und fröhlich sein,
Bald sind wir Staub.

Text Authorship:

  • by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Herbst", subtitle: "(1919)", written 1919

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

  • ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Autumn", subtitle: "(1919)", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Automne", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.

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

4. Mittag im September  [sung text not yet checked]

Language: German (Deutsch) 
Es hält der blaue Tag 
Für eine Stunde auf der Höhe Rast.
Sein Licht hält jedes Ding umfaßt,
Wie man's in Träumen sehen mag:
Daß schattenlos die Welt,
In Blau und Gold gewiegt, 
In lauter Duft und reifem Frieden liegt. 

-- Wenn auf dies Bild ein Schatten fällt! --

Kaum hast du es gedacht,
So ist die goldene1 Stunde
Aus ihrem leichten Traum1 erwacht,
Und bleicher wird, indes sie stiller lacht, 
Und kühler wird die Sonne in der Runde.

Text Authorship:

  • by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Mittag im September", written c1905

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.

View original text (without footnotes)

Note: According to Peter Spycher, Eine Wanderung durch Hermann Hesse’s Lyrik. Dokumentation und Interpretation, this poem was inaccurately rendered by Karlheinz Deschner in Kitsch, Konvention und Kunst : eine literarische Streitschrift . In addition to the omission of some punctuation marks, Deschner’s version contains two errors, which are footnoted below.

Confirmed with Hermann Hesse, Sämtliche Werke, herausgegeben von Volker Michels, Band 10 Die Gedichte, bearbeitet von Peter Huber, Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag, 2002, page 162.

1 Inaccurately given as "goldne" by Deschner
2 Inaccurately given as "Zaubertraum" by Deschner

Research team for this page: John Versmoren , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

5. Der Blütenzweig
 (Sung text)

Language: German (Deutsch) 
Immer hin und wider
Strebt der Blütenzweig im Winde,
Immer auf und nieder
Strebt mein Herz gleich einem Kinde
Zwischen hellen und dunklen Tagen,
Zwischen Wollen und Entsagen.

Bis die Blüten sind verweht
Und der Zweig in Früchten steht,
Bis das Herz, der Kindheit satt,
Seine Ruhe hat
Und bekennt: voll Lust und nicht vergebens
War das unruhvolle Spiel des Lebens.

Text Authorship:

  • by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Der Blütenzweig", written 1913

See other settings of this text.

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.

Research team for this page: Claus Swienty , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

6. Spruch
 (Sung text)

Language: German (Deutsch) 
So mußt Du allen Dingen
Bruder und Schwester sein,
Daß sie dich ganz durchdringen,
Daß du nicht scheidest Mein und Dein.

Kein Stern, kein Laub soll fallen --
Du mußt mit ihm vergehn!
So wirst du auch mit allen
Allstündlich auferstehn.

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Poème gnomique", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada and the U.S., but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
Total word count: 359