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Ich liebe solche bunt beglänzte Nächte
Im Flackerlicht der Lampen, und ich flechte
Gern meiner Lieder fiebernd Rot darein.
Sieh, Liebste, wie sich dort die Jugend drängt
Im späten Tanz, und wie für uns allein
Der Sichelmond im Rauch der Fackeln hängt.
In solchen Nächten lauscht mein zitternd Herz
Mit Qual und Lust heimat und jugendwärts,
Und schlägt im Takt verliebter Melodien.
Mein Auge aber schaut den fremden Mond
Im Silberkahn auf sichern Wegen ziehen
Und ist wie er der Einsamkeit gewohnt.
...
Schau dort! Die heiße Menge wogt im Tanz
Und glüht vor Lust und wirft den Loderkranz
Der kurzen Freude jauchzend in die Lüfte.
Ist's doch, als spielte meine Jugend dort
Im süßen Rausch fremdländisch heißer Düfte
Das alte Spiel in neuen Tänzen fort.
Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada and the U.S., but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-2,4 of the original text.
Composition:
- Set to music by Rudolf Töpfer (b. 1891), "Italienische Musik", stanzas 1-2,4 [ three soli, men's chorus ad libitum, and woodwind quintet ], from Eine Stimme singt in der Nacht - Kantate nach Gedichten von Hermann Hesse, no. 6
Text Authorship:
- by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Italienische Nacht", written 1898, appears in Neue deutsche Lyriker III , in Süden, first published 1919
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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Italian night", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2014-08-19
Line count: 30
Word count: 208
I love such colourfully sparkling nights
In the flickering light of the lamps, and with gladness
I weave the feverish red of my songs therein.
See, beloved, how yonder the young folk throng
In a late dance, and how for us alone
The crescent moon hangs in the smoke of the torches.
In such nights my trembling heart listens
With misery and joy for sounds of home and youth,
And beats in the rhythm of lovelorn melodies.
My eye, however, gazes upon the foreign moon
Travelling in a silver boat upon sure ways,
And, like the moon, I am accustomed to loneliness.
...
See there! The hot throng sways in the dance
And glows with rapture and tosses the flaming wreath
Of ephemeral happiness rejoicingly into the air.
It is as if there, in the sweet intoxication of hot scents from foreign lands,
My youth were continuing to play
The old game in new dances.
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-2,4 of the original text.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2014 by Sharon Krebs, (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. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Italienische Nacht", written 1898, appears in Neue deutsche Lyriker III , in Süden, first published 1919
Go to the general single-text view
This text was added to the website: 2014-08-19
Line count: 30
Word count: 258