by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788 - 1824)
Translation by Karl Julius Körner (1793 - 1873)
My soul is dark ‑ Oh! quickly string
Language: English
My soul is dark - Oh! quickly string The harp I yet can brook to hear; And let thy gentle fingers fling Its melting murmurs o'er mine ear. -- If in this heart a hope be dear, That sound shall charm it forth again -- If in these eyes there lurk a tear, 'Twill flow -- and cease to burn my brain -- But bid the strain be wild and deep, Nor let thy notes of joy be first: I tell thee -- Minstrel! I must weep, Or else this heavy heart will burst -- For it hath been by sorrow nurst, And ached in sleepless silence [long]1 -- And now 'tis doom'd to know the worst, And break at once -- or yield to song.
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Text Authorship:
- by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788 - 1824), "My soul is dark", appears in Hebrew Melodies, no. 9, adaptation of I Samuel 16:14-23, first published 1815
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Alexis Paulin Pâris) , "Mon ame est sombre", appears in Mélodies hébraïques, no. 9
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 118
Mein Herz ist schwer See original
Language: German (Deutsch) after the English
Mein Herz ist schwer! auf! Von der Wand Die Laute, nur sie allein mag ich noch hören; Entlocke mit geschickter Hand Ihr Töne, die das Herz bethören! Kann noch mein Herz ein Hoffen nähren, Es zaubern diese Töne her, Und birgt mein trocknes Auge Zähren, Sie fließen, und mich brennt's nicht mehr! Nur tief sey, wild der Töne Fluß, Und von der Freude weggekehret! Ja, Sänger, daß ich weinen muß, Sonst wird das schwere Herz verzehret! Denn sieh! vom Kummer ward's genähret; Mit stummem Wachen trug es lang; Und jetzt vom Aeussersten belehret -- Da brech' es oder heil' im Sang
Composition:
- Set to music by Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856), "Mein Herz ist schwer", subtitle: "Aus den hebräischen Gesängen", op. 25 no. 15 (1840), published 1840 [ voice and piano ], from Myrten, no. 15, Leipzig, Kistner
Text Authorship:
- by Karl Julius Körner (1793 - 1873), "Die Laute", appears in Israelitische Gesänge, no. 9, first published 1821
Based on:
- a text in English by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788 - 1824), "My soul is dark", appears in Hebrew Melodies, no. 9, adaptation of I Samuel 16:14-23, first published 1815
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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Marta Garcia Cadena) , "De les melodies hebrees", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Mijn hart is zwaar", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Mon cœur est sombre", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "E' pesante il mio cuore", copyright © 2010, (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: 2003-11-19
Line count: 16
Word count: 103