O wenn ein Herz, längst wohnend im...
Language: German (Deutsch)
O wenn ein Herz, längst wohnend im Entwöhnen,
von aller Kunft und Zuversicht getrennt,
erwacht und plötzlich hört, wie man es nennt:
»Du Überfluß, Du Fülle alles Schönen!«
Was soll es tun? Wie sich dem Glück versöhnen,
das endlich seine Hand und Wange kennt?
Schmerz zu verschweigen war sein Element,
nun zwingt das Liebes-Staunen es, zu tönen.
Hier tönt ein Herz, das sich im Gram verschwieg,
und zweifelt, ob ihm dies zu Recht gebühre:
o reich zu sein in seiner Armut Sieg.
Wer hat denn Fülle? Wer verteilt das Meiste?--
Wer so verführt, daß er ganz weit verführe:
Denn auch der Leib ist leibhaft erst im Geiste.
Available sung texts: (what is this?)
• H. Apostel H. Apostel sets stanzas 1-2
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Confirmed with Rainer Maria Rilke, Die Gedichte, Frankfurt am Main: Insel Verlag, 1997, pages 1023-1024.
Text Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Hans Erich Apostel (1901 - 1972), "O wenn ein Herz, - - -", op. 6 (Vier Lieder) no. 1, published 1937, stanzas 1-2 [ voice and piano ], Wien: Universal-Edition, Nr. 10917 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Robert Haas (1886 - 1960), "Ein Herz" [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ignace Lilien (1897 - 1964), "O wenn mein Herz", 1922, copyright © 1960 [ low voice or medium voice and piano ], from Sechs Gedichte von R.M. Rilke, no. 6, Amsterdam : Donemus [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust
[Administrator] , Sharon Krebs
[Guest Editor] This text was added to the website: 2018-10-09
Line count: 14
Word count: 107
Oh when a heart, long dwelling in...
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
Oh when a heart, long dwelling in renunciation,
separated from all coming and assurance,
wakens and suddenly hears, how it is called:
"Thou plenitude, thou abundance of all that is beautiful!"
What should it do? How reconcile itself with the happiness
that finally comes to know its heart and cheek?
To conceal pain was its element;
now love's wonderment forces it to resound.
Here rings a heart that kept silent in sorrow,
and doubted whether this could rightfully be its due:
oh, to be rich in the victory of its poverty.
Who has abundancy then? Who distributes the most?--
He who thus allures that he might inveigle very deeply:
For the body also is corporeal only in spirit.
About the headline (FAQ)
View text with all available footnotes
Translations of title(s):
"O wenn ein Herz, - - -" = "Oh when a heart, - - -"
"Sonett" = "Sonnet"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2018 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.
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Based on:
This text was added to the website: 2018-11-09
Line count: 14
Word count: 118