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Bekränzet die Tonnen, Und zapfet mir Wein; Der Mai ist begonnen, Wir müssen uns freun! Die Winde verstummen, Und athmen noch kaum; Die Bienlein umsummen Den blühenden Baum. ... Zum Mahle, zum Mahle, Die Flaschen herbei! Zwein volle Pokale Gebühren dem Mai. Er träuft auf die Blüten Sein Roth und sein Weiß; Die Vögelein brüten Im Schatten des Mais. ... Ihr Jüngling', ihr Schönen, Gebt Dank ihm und Preis! Laßt Gläser ertönen Zur Ehre des Mais! Es grüne die Laube, Die Küsse verschließt! Es wachse die Traube, Der Nektar entfließt!
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1,3,5 of the original text.
Note: This is the version as published by Voß. The initial version of this poem, according to Hölty's manuscript, has two more stanzas and is quite different (see below).
Composition:
- Set to music by Josephine Lang (1815 - 1880), "Trinklied im Maÿ", stanzas 1,3,5 [ ttbb chorus ], unpublished, undated
Text Authorship:
- by Ludwig Heinrich Christoph Hölty (1748 - 1776), "Trinklied im Mai", written 1775, first published 1777
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Cant bàquic al maig", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Drinklied in Mei", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Malcolm Wren) , "Drinking song in May", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Chanson à boire en mai", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor], Peter Rastl [Guest Editor] , Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website: 2004-01-12
Line count: 48
Word count: 174
Put a garland around the barrels, And pour me some wine; May has begun, We have to enjoy ourselves! The winds are settling down And are now hardly breathing; The little bees are buzzing around The blossoming tree. ... It's time to eat - to the table - With your glasses to hand! A pair of brimming beakers Is what May deserves. Let May drip onto the blossoms, Its red and its white; The little birds are sitting on their nests In May's shadows. ... You young people, you beautiful people, Give it thanks and praise! Let glasses ring out In honour of May! Let the foliage turn green, Seal up the kisses! Let the grape swell, Let the nectar flow!
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1,3,5 of the original text.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2017 by Malcolm Wren, (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.
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Ludwig Heinrich Christoph Hölty (1748 - 1776), "Trinklied im Mai", written 1775, first published 1777
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This text was added to the website: 2017-08-11
Line count: 48
Word count: 225