Sooner would the sun fall to earth | Sooner would the sun fall to earth

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by Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Eher die Sonne zur Erde fällt

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

  Eher die Sonne zur Erde fällt
Sausend vom hohen Himmelszelt,
Und der Mond und die Sterne hinterher,
  Als daß wir uns liebten nimmermehr!

  Eher trocknet ihr Feuer aus
Alle Meere mit zischendem Braus,
Und sinken die höchsten Berge dahin,
  Als daß sich kann ändern unser Sinn!¹

  Eher tilgt aus der Menschen Brust
Gott Vater für ewig der Liebe Lust,
Eher liegen wir Beid' im Grab,
  Als daß unsre Liebe mag nehmen ab!

Available sung texts: (what is this?)

• B. Randhartinger

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Liederbuch von Friedrich Oser, 1842-1874. Mit einem biographischen Verzeichnis der Componisten, Basel: Benno Schwabe, Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1875, page 170.

¹ Randhartinger adds

  Eher kein Vöglein im Lenz mehr singt,
Eher kein Kindlein vor Lust mehr springt,
Eher kein Röslein auf Erden mehr glüht,
  Als daß, holder Schatz, uns're Treue verblüht!

Text Authorship:

by Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891), "Eher die Sonne zur Erde fällt", appears in Liederbuch, in 2. Liebeslieder, no. 194 [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 Rudolf Löw-Burckhardt (1832 - 1898), "Eher die Sonne zur Erde fällt", op. 1 no. 3, published 1867 [ voice and piano ], from Acht Lieder der Liebe von Friedrich Oser für eine Singstimme mit Begleitung des Pianoforte, no. 3, Zürich: Gebrüder Hug [sung text not yet checked]
by Benedikt Randhartinger (1802 - 1893), "Eher die Sonne zur Erde fällt" [ voice and piano ], from 5 Liebeslieder, no. 1 [sung text checked 1 time]

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

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Sooner would the sun fall to earth", copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor], Johann Winkler

This text was added to the website: 2025-11-16
Line count: 12
Word count: 74

Sooner would the sun fall to earth

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

  Sooner would the sun fall to earth,
Rushing down from the high vault of heaven,
Followed by the moon and the stars,
  Than that we would nevermore love each other!

  Sooner would [the sun's] fire dry up
All the oceans with a hissing roar,
And [sooner] would the highest mountains sink away
  Than that our hearts could change!¹

  Sooner would God the Father forever
Erase the joy of love from mankind's breast,
Sooner would we both be lying in our graves,
  Than that our love could decrease!

View original text (without footnotes)
¹ Randhartinger adds

  Sooner would no birdlet sing anymore in spring,
Sooner would no little child leap anymore for joy,
Sooner would no little rose glow anymore upon earth,
  Than that, lovely darling, our faithfulness could fade!

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. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891), "Eher die Sonne zur Erde fällt", appears in Liederbuch, in 2. Liebeslieder, no. 194
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2026-02-10
Line count: 12
Word count: 89