7 Goethe Lieder

Song Cycle by Cornelius Wilhelm de Groot (1914 - 1993)

1. Wandrers Nachtlied [sung text not yet checked]

Language: German (Deutsch)

Der du [von dem Himmel]¹ bist,
[Alles Leid]² und Schmerzen [stillest]³,
Den, der doppelt elend ist,
Doppelt mit [Erquickung füllest]⁴,
Ach ich bin des Treibens müde!
[Was soll all der Schmerz und Lust?]⁵
Süßer Friede,
Komm, ach komm in meine Brust!

Text Authorship:

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), "Wandrers Nachtlied", written 1776, first published 1780

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

AFR Afrikaans [singable] (Robert Schall) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
CHI Chinese (中文) [singable] (Dr Huaixing Wang) , copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Trekkers nachtlied", copyright © 2005, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Wanderer's night song", copyright ©
ENG English (Edgar Alfred Bowring) , "The wanderer's night-song", appears in The Poems of Goethe, first published 1853
ENG English [singable] (Charles Fonteyn Manney) , "O thou who from heaven art", first published 1911
FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Le chant de nuit du voyageur I", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRL Friulian (Ermes Culos) , "Tu ch'i ti vèns dal paradìs", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
GRE Greek (Ελληνικά) [singable] (Christakis Poumbouris) , copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
HUN Hungarian (Magyar) (Tamás Rédey) , copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , "Canto notturno del viandante II", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
SPA Spanish (Español) (Lewis Grenville) , "La cancion nocturna del caminante", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Goethe’s Werke. Vollständige Ausgabe letzter Hand. Erster Band. Stuttgart und Tübingen, in der J.G. Cotta'schen Buchhandlung. 1827, page 109.

First published in Christliches Magazin Herausgegeben von Joh. Konrad Pfenninger, Dritter Band, 1780, page 243, with the musical setting by Ph. Ch. Kayser.

Notes
Line 1: Backer-Grøndahl’s score has a comma after the first word (likely a typo)
Line 8: Backer-Grøndahl's score has a typo in word 5 ("meiner" instead of "meine")

¹ Kirchner: "von den Himmeln"; Hiller, Milcke: "vom Himmel" (further changes may exist not shown above)
² Rust: "Kummer, Leid"
³ Schubert: "stillst"
⁴ Schubert: "Entzückung füllst"
⁵ Rust: "Bangen Schmerzes, wilder Lust,"; Arnim and J. Marx: "Was soll all der Schmerz, die Lust?"

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

2. Wonne der Liebe [sung text not yet checked]

Language: German (Deutsch)

Freudvoll
Und leidvoll,
Gedankenvoll seyn;
[Langen]¹
Und bangen
In schwebender Pein;
Himmelhoch jauchzend
Zum Tode betrübt;
Glücklich allein
Ist die Seele, die liebt.

Text Authorship:

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), no title, appears in Egmont, Act III, Clärchen's song, first published 1788

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

CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "De liefde", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English (Richard Morris) , "Joyful and sorrowful", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English [singable] (Charles Fonteyn Manney) , "Joyful and woeful", first published 1911
ENG English [singable] (Constance Bache) (William Stigand, né Stigant) , "Clara's song"
FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "L'amour", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Goethe's Werke, Vollständige Ausgabe letzter Hand, Achter Band, Stuttgart und Tübingen, in der J.G.Cottaschen Buchhandlung, 1827, pages 231-232, and with Egmont. Trauerspiel von Goethe. Leipzig bei Georg Joachim Göschen 1788, page 97.

Note for line 4 word 1: some editions not endorsed by Goethe have "Hangen" instead of "Langen".

¹ Liszt, Rubinstein: "Hangen"

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Richard Morris , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]

3. Philine (aus Wilhelm Meister) [sung text not yet checked]

Language: German (Deutsch)

Singet nicht in Trauertönen
Von der Einsamkeit der Nacht.
Nein, sie ist, o holde Schönen,
Zur Geselligkeit gemacht.

Wie das Weib dem Mann gegeben
Als die schönste Hälfte war,
Ist die Nacht das halbe Leben
Und die schönste Hälfte zwar.

Könnt ihr euch des Tages freuen,
Der nur Freuden unterbricht?
Er ist gut, sich zu zerstreuen;
Zu was anderm taugt er nicht.

Aber wenn in nächt'ger Stunde
Süsser Lampe Dämmrung fließt,
Und vom Mund zum nahen Munde
Scherz und Liebe sich ergießt;

Wenn der rasche, lose Knabe,
Der sonst wild und feurig eilt,
Oft bei einer kleinen Gabe
Unter leichten Spielen weilt;

Wenn die Nachtigall Verliebten
Liebevoll ein Liedchen singt,
Das Gefangnen und Betrübten
Nur wie Ach und Wehe klingt;

Mit wie leichtem Herzensregen
Horchet ihr der Glocke nicht,
Die mit zwölf bedächtgen Schlägen
Ruh und Sicherheit verspricht.

Darum an dem langen Tage,
Merke dir es, liebe Brust;
Jeder Tag hat seine Plage,
Und die Nacht hat ihre Lust.

Text Authorship:

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), appears in Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre

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

CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Zing nu niet in droeve tonen", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Do not sing in mournful tones", copyright ©
FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Ne chantez pas dans des tons désolés", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
GRE Greek (Ελληνικά) [singable] (Christakis Poumbouris) , copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Non cantate in triste melodia", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Ted Perry

4. Erster Verlust [sung text not yet checked]

Language: German (Deutsch)

Ach wer bringt die schönen Tage,
Jene Tage der ersten Liebe,
Ach wer bringt nur eine Stunde
Jener holden Zeit zurück!

Einsam nähr' ich meine Wunde
Und mit stets erneuter Klage
Traur' ich [um's verlorne]¹ Glück.

Ach, wer bringt die schönen Tage,
[Jene holde Zeit zurück!]²

Text Authorship:

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), "Erster Verlust", first published 1789

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

CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
CAT Catalan (Català) (Manuel Capdevila i Font) , copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Eerste verlies", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "First loss", copyright ©
FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Premier manque", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Ah, chi mi riporterà i giorni belli", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
NOR Norwegian (Bokmål) (Marianne Beate Kielland) , "Det første tap", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Goethe's Werke, Vollständige Ausgabe letzter Hand, Erster Band, Stuttgart und Tübingen, in der J.G.Cottaschen Buchhandlung, 1827, page 63; and with Goethe's Schriften. Achter Band. Leipzig, bey Georg Joachim Göschen, 1789, page 113.

First written 1785 by Goethe for his fragmentary Singspiel "Die ungleichen Hausgenossen" (Arie der Baronesse, Act II), with different stanzas 2 and 3.

¹ Nägeli: "um verlornes"
² Schubert: "Wer jene holde Zeit zurück!"; Medtner, Zelter: "Wer bringt die holde, süße, liebe Zeit zurück?"

Research team for this page: Richard Morris , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]

5. Über allen Gipfeln ist Ruh [sung text not yet checked]

Language: German (Deutsch)

Über allen [Gipfeln]¹
Ist Ruh',
In allen Wipfeln
Spürest du
Kaum einen Hauch;
Die [Vögelein]² schweigen im Walde.
Warte nur, balde
Ruhest du auch.³

Text Authorship:

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), "Ein Gleiches", written 1780, first published 1815

See other settings of this text.

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

AFR Afrikaans [singable] (Robert Schall) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
CHI Chinese (中文) [singable] (Dr Huaixing Wang) , copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
CZE Czech (Čeština) (Karel Dostál-Lutinov) , "Počkej", first published 1917
DUT Dutch (Nederlands) (Wim Reedijk) , "Boven alle bergen", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Trekkers nachtlied II", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Over all the peaks it is peaceful", copyright ©
ENG English [singable] (Bertram Kottmann) , copyright © 2005, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English (Edgar Alfred Bowring) , "The wanderer's night-song", appears in The Poems of Goethe, first published 1853
ENG English [singable] (Arthur Westbrook) , "Wanderer's night song"
ENG English (Patrick John Corness) , copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FIN Finnish (Suomi) (Erkki Pullinen) , "Yölaulu", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Le chant de nuit du voyageur II", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Au sommet de tous les pics", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
GRE Greek (Ελληνικά) [singable] (Christakis Poumbouris) , copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
HUN Hungarian (Magyar) (Tamás Rédey) , copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
IRI Irish (Gaelic) [singable] (Gabriel Rosenstock) , copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Sopra ogni vetta", copyright © 2005, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , "Canto notturno del viandante I", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
RUS Russian (Русский) (Innokenty Fyodorovich Annensky) , no title
SPA Spanish (Español) (Mercedes Vivas) , "Sobre todas las cumbres", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
SPA Spanish (Español) (Elisa Rapado) , copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Goethe's Werke. Vollständige Ausgabe letzter Hand. Erster Band. Stuttgart und Tübingen, in der J.G.Cotta'schen Buchhandlung. 1827, page 109; and with Goethe's Werke. Erster Band. Stuttgart und Tübingen, in der J. G. Cotta'schen Buchhandlung. 1815, page 99.

Note: in many older editions, the spelling of the capitalized word "über" becomes "Ueber", but this is often due to the printing process and not to rules of orthography, since the lower-case version is not "ueber", so we use "Über".

See also J.D. Falk's poem Unter allen Wipfeln ist Ruh.

¹ Flügel, Gaugler, Hasse, Radecke: "Wipfeln" (according to the incipits given in Hofmeister) ; further changes may exist not noted above.
² Greith, Schubert: "Vöglein"
³ Lachner adds

Über allen Wipfeln
Ist Ruh',
Balde
Ruhest du auch.

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor] , Andrew Schneider [Guest Editor] , Johann Winkler

6. Blumengruß [sung text not yet checked]

Language: German (Deutsch)

Der Strauß, den ich [gepflücket]¹,
[Grüße]² dich viel tausendmal!
Ich [habe]³ mich oft gebücket,
Ach, wohl eintausendmal,
Und ihn ans Herz gedrücket
[Wie]⁴ hunderttausendmal!

Text Authorship:

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), "Blumengruß", written 1810

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

View original text (without footnotes)
¹ Curschmann, Wolf, Zelter: "gepflückt"
² Hiller: "Grüss' "
³ Graener, Hiller: "hab' "
⁴ Webern: "Viel"

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

7. Beherzigung [sung text not yet checked]

Language: German (Deutsch)

Feiger Gedanken
bängliches Schwanken,
weibisches Zagen,
ängstliches Klagen
wendet kein Elend,
macht dich nicht frei.

Allen Gewalten
zum Trutz sich erhalten,
nimmer sich beugen,
kräftig sich zeigen,
rufet die Arme
der Götter herbei!

Text Authorship:

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), "Beherzigung"

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

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

Total word count: 368