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Lüftchen, ihr plaudert so viel und so laut, Hab' euch doch nie mein Geheimnis vertraut! Nein! ach nein! ich schweige lieber still, Weil ich ja ewig schweigen will! Küsst ihr mir bittend auch Hand und Gesicht, Plaudernde Lüftchen, ich sag' es euch nicht! Was ich wohl möchte? Gern zög ich mit euch! Ruhte ein Weilchen im grünen Gezweig, Flöge dann weiter zum lieben Ort, Haschte ein kleines, ein einziges Wort, Aber was heimlich im Herzen mir spricht, Kosende Lüftchen, ich sag' es euch nicht. Eilt ihr nun weiter und lasst mich allein? Stürmet nicht wild gleich durch Feld und durch Hain, Hemmet noch einmal den zornigen Lauf, Höret ihr Schelme, doch horcht mir recht auf! Hört, was ich denke, so süss, ach! so licht! Plaudernde Lüftchen, ich sag's euch doch nicht.
Note: the published Lang score mentions Byron as the poet, but no candidate for the original has yet been found for this stanza, only for the second stanza of the song. The catalog Periodica musicalia mentions the setting by Georg Müller and attributes these lines to A. de M.; the Gollmick score gives the poet as A. d. M.
Note: Rungenhagen inserts "nein, nein" a number of times with his repetitions of the text of the last line of each stanza.
Composition:
- Set to music by Hans Hermann (1870 - 1931), "Das Geheimniss", op. 30, published 1893 [ voice and piano ], Dresden, Wolff
Text Authorship:
- possibly by Anonymous / Unidentified Author ( A. de M. ? )
- possibly by Henriette Eleonore Agnes Gräfin zu Stolberg-Stolberg, née von Witzleben (1761 - 1788)
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2006-12-05
Line count: 18
Word count: 152
Little breezes, you murmur so much and so loudly. Yet I have never entrusted you with my secret! No! ah no! I would rather remain silent, Because I plan to remain silent forever! Though you may pleadingly kiss my hand and face, Chattering little breezes, I shall not tell you my secret! What would I like to do? I would gladly travel with you! I would rest a while in the green branches, Would then fly onward to the dear place, Would breathe a tiny, a single word, But that which secretly speaks within my heart, Caressing little breezes, that I shall not tell you. Do you now hurry onward and leave me alone? Do not immediately storm so wildly through field and through grove, Arrest once more your angry motion, Listen, you imps, but hearken well to me! Listen to what I think, so sweet, ah! so bright! Caressing little breezes, that I shall not tell you in any case.
Translated titles:
"Die plaudernden Lüftchen" = "The chattering little breezes"
"Das Geheimniss" = "The secret"
"Lüftchen, ihr plaudert" = "Little breezes, you murmur"
"Lied" = "Song"
Note: Rungenhagen inserts "nein, nein" (in English: "no, no") a number of times with his repetitions of the text of the last line of each stanza.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2017 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) possibly by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist and possibly by Henriette Eleonore Agnes Gräfin zu Stolberg-Stolberg, née von Witzleben (1761 - 1788)
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This text was added to the website: 2006-12-05
Line count: 18
Word count: 170