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Nord oder Süd! Wenn nur im warmen Busen Ein Heiligtum der Schönheit und der Musen, Ein götterreicher Himmel blüht! Nur Geistes Armut kann der Winter morden: Kraft fügt zu Kraft, und Glanz zu Glanz der Norden. Nord oder Süd, Wenn nur die Seele glüht! Stadt oder Land! Nur nicht zu eng die Räume, Ein wenig Himmel, etwas grüne Bäume, Zum Schatten vor dem Sonnenbrand. Nicht an das ,,Wo`` ward Seligkeit gebunden; Wer hat das Glück schon ausser sich gefunden! Stadt oder Land! Die Außenwelt ist Tand! ... Blaß oder rot! Doch auf den bleichen Wangen Nur Sehnsucht, Liebe, Zürnen und Erbangen, Gefühl und Trost für fremde Not. Es strahlt der Geist nicht aus des Blutes Welle, Ein andrer Spiegel glänzt in Sonnenhelle, Blaß oder rot! Nur nicht das Auge tot! ... Schlaf oder Tod! Willkommen, Zwillingsbrüder! Der Tag ist hin, ihr zieht die Wimper nieder. Traum ist der Erde Glück und Not. Zu kurzer Tag! zu schnell verrauschtes Leben! Warum so schön und doch so rasch verschweben? Schlaf oder Tod! Hell strahlt das Morgenrot!
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-2,5,7 of the original text.
Composition:
- Set to music by Johann Zundel (1815 - 1882), "Nord oder Süd'", op. 5 no. 1, published 1844, stanzas 1-2,5,7 [ voice and piano ], Mainz, Schott
Text Authorship:
- by Karl Gottlieb Lappe (1773 - 1843), "So oder so"
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Bertram Kottmann) , "North or South", copyright © 2005, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Nord ou sud", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Nord ou sud", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 49
Word count: 316
North or South! If only in a warm bosom Flourishes a shrine to beauty and the muses And a heaven abounding in gods! Winter can at best kill poverty of mind: The North adds power to power and radiance to radiance. North or South! If there is only an ardent soul! Town or country! Just not too confined the spaces, A glimpse of the sky, some verdure of the trees To provide shade under a burning sun. It's not the "Where" to which bliss is tied; Who has ever found happiness out of himself! Town or country! The outside world is but dross! ... Pale or florid! Just on the pallid cheeks Yearning and love, anger and worry, Empathy and consolation to someone else's distress. The spirit does not express itself in a florid complexion, A different mirror sparkles in the bright sun, Pale or florid! Just not a lifeless eye! ... Sleep or death! Welcome, twin brothers! The day is done, you weigh the eyelids downward. Dream is earth's happiness and need. Too short a day! Too fast life dies away! Why living so well and yet so fast? Sleep or death! Bright shines the rising sun!
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-2,5,7 of the original text.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2005 by Bertram Kottmann, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you must ask the copyright-holder(s) directly for permission. If you receive no response, you must consider it a refusal.
Bertram Kottmann. Contact: BKottmann (AT) t-online.de
If you wish to commission a new translation, please contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Karl Gottlieb Lappe (1773 - 1843), "So oder so"
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This text was added to the website: 2005-03-15
Line count: 49
Word count: 346