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It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.

To inquire about permissions and rates, contact Emily Ezust at licenses@email.lieder.example.net

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by Johann Heinrich Voss (1751 - 1826)
Translation © by Lau Kanen

An die Nachtigall
 (Sung text for setting by J. Brahms)
 Matches original text
Language: German (Deutsch)  after the German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT DUT ENG FRE
Geuß nicht so laut der liebentflammten Lieder
Tonreichen Schall
Vom Blütenast des Apfelbaums hernieder,
O Nachtigall.
Du tönest mir mit deiner süssen Kehle
Die Liebe wach;
Denn schon durchbebt die Tiefen meiner Seele
Dein schmelzend Ach.

Dann flieht der Schlaf von neuem dieses Lager,
Ich starre dann,
Mit nassem Blick, und todtenbleich und hager,
Den Himmel an.
Fleuch, Nachtigall, in grüne Finsternisse,
Ins Haingesträuch,
Und spend' im Nest der treuen Gattin Küsse;
Entfleuch, entfleuch!

Confirmed with Gedichte von Ludewig Heinrich Christoph Hölty. Besorgt durch seine Freunde Friederich Leopold Grafen zu Stolberg und Johann Heinrich Voß. Hamburg, bei Carl Ernst Bohn. 1783, page 157.

This poem makes use of some verses of Hölty's unfinished poem "An eine Nachtigall, die vor meinem Kammerfenster sang" and was included by Voß in his editions of Hölty's poems (see below).


Composition:

    Set to music by Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897), "An die Nachtigall", op. 46 no. 4 (1868), published 1868, first performed 1874 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Simrock

Text Authorship:

  • by Johann Heinrich Voss (1751 - 1826), "An die Nachtigall" [an adaptation]

Based on:

  • a text in German (Deutsch) by Ludwig Heinrich Christoph Hölty (1748 - 1776), "An eine Nachtigall, die vor meinem Kammerfenster sang", written 1772
    • Go to the text page.

See other settings of this text.

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Al rossinyol", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Aan de nachtegaal", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "To the nightingale", copyright ©
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2003-11-13
Line count: 16
Word count: 74

Aan de nachtegaal
 (Sung text translation for setting by J. Brahms)
 Matches original text
Language: Dutch (Nederlands)  after the German (Deutsch) 
Gooi niet zo luid van je
 smoorverliefde beden
't Klankrijk kabaal
Van de bloeiende tak uit de appelboom naar beneden,
O nachtegaal!
 
Je wekt in mij door wonderzoet te kwelen
De liefde zacht;
Want reeds doortrilt mijn ziel jouw zingend strelen
,
Jouw tere klacht.
 
Dan vlucht de slaap weer weg van deze sponde,
Ik staaroog dan
Met natte blik - een dood’lijk bleek gewonde -
De hemel aan.
 
Vlucht, nachtegaal, in groene duisternissen,
In bos en heg,
En laat in 't nest je lief geen kusje missen,
Vlieg weg, vlieg weg!

Text Authorship:

  • Singable translation from German (Deutsch) to Dutch (Nederlands) copyright © 2007 by Lau Kanen, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., please ask the copyright-holder(s) directly.

    Lau Kanen.  Contact: boudewijnkanen (AT) gmail (DOT) com


    If the copyright-holder(s) are unreachable for three business days, please write to: licenses@email.lieder.example.net


Based on:

  • a text in German (Deutsch) by Johann Heinrich Voss (1751 - 1826), "An die Nachtigall" [an adaptation]
    • Go to the text page.

Based on:

  • a text in German (Deutsch) by Ludwig Heinrich Christoph Hölty (1748 - 1776), "An eine Nachtigall, die vor meinem Kammerfenster sang", written 1772
    • Go to the text page.

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website: 2007-10-15
Line count: 16
Word count: 92

Gentle Reminder

This website began in 1995 as a personal project by Emily Ezust, who has been working on it full-time without a salary since 2008. Our research has never had any government or institutional funding, so if you found the information here useful, please consider making a donation. Your help is greatly appreciated!
–Emily Ezust, Founder

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