Fischer harrt am Brückenbogen
Ach so lange Zeit:
Schaut so sehnlich in die Wogen,
Denn sie ist noch weit.
Und sie schleichet um den Hügel,
Und das holde Bild
Leuchtet aus dem Wellenspiegel,
Lächelnd und so mild.
Und er sieht's - Und durch Blumenränder
Schwimmt der süße Schein -
Und er hält sich am Geländer,
Sonst zieht's ihn hinein! -
Note: This is the first version of Schlechta's poem, published 1818 in Wiener Zeitschrift für Kunst, Literatur, Theater und Mode. A second edition of this version, with minor modifications, appeared 1820 in Becker's Taschenbuch zum geselligen Vergnügen, together with an attachment containing Schubert's setting (his first version). Subsequently Schlechta published his collected poems in 1824 and included Widerschein in a substantially revised version (see below). In 1828 Schubert planned to publish the song again and created a second version, with a text modified by Schlechta. This version was posthumously published by Diabelli in 1832. Much later, before his death in 1875, Schlechta prepared for a new edition of his collected poems, with the title Ephemeren, which appeared in 1876. Here again Widerschein was substantially reworked (see below), and this third version of the poem resembles in some respects the text which Schubert used for his 1828 version of the song.
Composition:
Text Authorship:
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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Reflex", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Weerschijn1", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Laura Stanfield Prichard) , "Reflection", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Reflets", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust
[Administrator] , Richard Morris , Peter Rastl
[Guest Editor] This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 60
The fisherman leans on the bridge’s span
Ah, for such a long time;
He gazes longingly into the waves,
Because she is still far away! -
And she sneaks around the hill,
And her lovely image
Lights the mirrored waves
Smiling and so gentle.
And he sees her. And through flowery borders
Swims her sweet light --
And he holds onto the rail,
Otherwise he might fall in!
