Wenn die Felder sich verdunkeln,
fühl' ich wird mein Auge heller;
schon versucht ein Stern zu funkeln,
und die Grillen wispern schneller.
Jeder Laut wird bilderreicher,
das Gewohnte sonderbarer,
hinterm Wald der Himmel bleicher,
jeder Wipfel hebt sich klarer;
Und du merkst es nicht im Schreiten
wie das Licht verhundertfältigt
sich entringt den Dunkelheiten.
Plötzlich stehst du überwältigt.
Available sung texts: (what is this?)
• A. Schnabel View text with all available footnotes
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 Rebecca Clarke (1886 - 1979), "Manche Nacht", 1907 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Lionel Rogg (b. 1936), "Manche Nacht", 2007 [ soprano and piano ], from Wellen. Sieben Lieder für Sopran und Klavier, no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Artur Schnabel (1882 - 1951), "Manche Nacht", op. 11 (Zehn Lieder für eine Singstimme mit Begleitung des Pianoforte), Heft 2 no. 6, published 1902 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Verlag Dreililien [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Othmar Schoeck (1886 - 1957), "Manche Nacht", op. 24a no. 6 (1911) [ voice and piano ], from Lieder nach Gedichten von Lenau, Hebbel, Dehmel und Spitteler, no. 6 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Karol Maciej Szymanowski (1882 - 1937), "Manche Nacht", op. 17 (Zwölf Lieder) no. 4, also set in Polish (Polski) [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Ernest Vietor (flourished 1905-1930), "Manche Nacht", op. 16 (Neun Lieder) no. 2 (1937-8) [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hermann Karl Josef Zilcher (1881 - 1948), "Manche Nacht", op. 25 no. 2 (1919) [ soprano and piano ], from Dehmel-Zyklus. 14 Lieder und Duette für Sopran, Tenor und Klavier , no. 2 [sung text checked 1 time]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in Polish (Polski), a translation by Stanisław Barącz (1864 - 1936) ; composed by Karol Maciej Szymanowski.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Some nights", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Certaine nuit", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [
Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 59
When the fields darken,
I feel that my eyes grow brighter;
Already a star is attempting to sparkle,
And the crickets whisper more quickly.
Every sound becomes more picturesque,
The everyday things more unusual,
Behind the forest the sky becomes paler,
Every treetop lifts itself more clearly;
And in your striding you do not notice
How the light, magnified a hundred times,
Struggles forth from the darknesses.
Suddenly you stand there, overwhelmed.