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Sie ist dahin, die Maienlieder tönte; Die Sängerin, Die durch ihr Lied den ganzen Hain verschönte, Sie ist dahin! Sie, deren Ton mir in die Seele hallte, Wenn ich am Bach, Der durch Gebüsch im Abendgolde wallte, Auf Blumen lag! Sie gurgelte, tief aus der vollen Kehle, Den Silberschlag: Der Wiederhall in seiner Felsenhöhle Schlug leis' ihn nach. Die ländlichen Gesäng' und Feldschalmeien Erklangen drein; Es tanzeten die Jungfraun ihre Reihen Im Abendschein. Auf Moose horcht' ein Jüngling mit Entzücken Dem holden Laut, Und schmachtend hing an ihres Lieblings Blicken Die junge Braut: Sie drückten sich bei jeder deiner Fugen Die Hand einmal, Und hörten nicht, wenn deine Schwestern schlugen, O Nachtigall. Sie horchten dir, bis dumpf die Abendklocke Des Dorfes klang, Und Hesperus, gleich einer goldnen Flocke, Aus Wolken drang; Und gingen dann im Wehn der Maienkühle Der Hütte zu, Mit einer Brust voll zärtlicher Gefühle, Voll süsser Ruh.
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, pages 11-12.
This is the version of Hölty's poem heavily reworked by Voß. For the original version, with the title Elegie auf eine Nachtigall, see below.
Text Authorship:
- by Ludwig Heinrich Christoph Hölty (1748 - 1776), "Auf den Tod einer Nachtigall", written 1771, first published 1773 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
- by Johann Heinrich Voss (1751 - 1826), "Auf den Tod einer Nachtigall", written 1771, first published 1773 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Moritz, Graf von Dietrichstein (1775 - 1864), "Auf den Tod einer Nachtigall", 1813 [sung text not yet checked]
- by August Harder (1775 - 1813), "Auf den Tod einer Nachtigall", op. 11 (Gesänge mit Begleitung des Pianoforte) no. 6 (1806) [sung text not yet checked]
- by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Auf den Tod einer Nachtigall", D 201 (1815), published 1970 [ voice, piano ], composition sketch, edited and completed by Reinhard van Hoorickx [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Auf den Tod einer Nachtigall", D 399 (1816), published 1895 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Carl Schultz , "Auf den Tod einer Nachtigall", op. 1 ([Sechs] Lieder und Gesänge für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 6, published 1894 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Fr. Luckhardt [sung text not yet checked]
Another version of this text exists in the database.
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), [adaptation] ; composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "A la mort d’un rossinyol", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Op de dood van een nachtegaal", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "On the death of a nightingale", copyright ©
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Antonio Zencovich) , "Per la morte di un usignolo", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: John H. Anderson , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 32
Word count: 150
Se ne è andato, lui che intonava le canzoni di maggio, Il cantore Che rallegrava il bosco intero con i suoi gorgheggi. Se ne è andato Colui i cui accenti risuonavano nella mia anima Quando io, vicino al ruscello Che spumeggiava tra i cespugli nell'oro della sera, Me ne stavo disteso tra i fiori. Lui gorgogliava dal profondo della gola Delle note argentine. L'eco, tra le cavità delle rupi, Le rimandava indietro attenuate. I canti villerecci e il suono delle zampogne Si mescolavano a esse. Le fanciulle danzavano in cerchio Nella chiarore della sera. Un giovinetto ascoltava rapito I delicati accenti E languida si chinava agli sguardi dell'amato La giovane compagna, E a ognuno dei tuoi ritornelli Si stringevano le mani E non sentivano i tuoi compagni cinguettare O usignolo! Ti ascoltarono finché ovattata la squilla della sera Risuonò dal villaggio E, simile a un batuffolo d'oro, Espero Uscì dalle nubi. E tornarono poi, nella fresca brezza di maggio, Alla loro capanna Con il cuore pieno di teneri sentimenti, Colmo di una dolce pace.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to Italian (Italiano) copyright © 2014 by Antonio Zencovich, (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 Ludwig Heinrich Christoph Hölty (1748 - 1776), "Auf den Tod einer Nachtigall", written 1771, first published 1773 and by Johann Heinrich Voss (1751 - 1826), "Auf den Tod einer Nachtigall", written 1771, first published 1773
This text was added to the website: 2014-02-07
Line count: 32
Word count: 174