Eine silberne Spieluhr spielte,
Bei meiner Großmama,
Schon Louis der Soundsovielte
Das Spielwerk gerne sah.
Ein Amor aus Emaille
Zielt tückisch von der Wand,
Auf die porzellanene Taille
Eines schüchternen Armand.
Daneben aus ihrer Grotte
Erheben sich schlank und hell
Und tanzen die schönste Gavotte
Silvandre und Isabell.
Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, 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.
Confirmed with Hermann Hesse, Sämtliche Werke, herausgegeben von Volker Michels, Band 10 Die Gedichte, bearbeitet von Peter Huber, Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag, 2002, page 454.
Text Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Rococo", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs
[Guest Editor] This text was added to the website: 2014-03-25
Line count: 12
Word count: 48
A silver music box played
At my grandmother's,
Already Louis the so-and-so-many-eth
Looked upon the music box with favour.
From the wall, an enamelled cupid
Takes guileful aim
At the porcelain waist
Of a shy Armand.
Beside them, from out their grotto
Silvandre and Isabel
Rise up, slender and bright,
And dance the most beautiful gavotte.