by
Julius Wolff (1834 - 1910)
Waldharfen
Language: German (Deutsch)
Our translations: CAT ENG
Ein leises, fernes Rauschen klingt
Vom Bergeshaupt hernieder,
Und wie es schwillt und näher dringt,
Vernehm' ich Wipfellieder.
Waldharfen viele tausend stehn
Festwurzelnd am Gelände,
Die schlägt der Wind, darüber gehn
Läßt er die starken Hände.
Es säuselt und es saust und tönt,
Kommt hoch daher gezogen,
Der ganze Bergwald braust und dröhnt
Und schwingt in grünen Wogen.
Wie Wolkenflug vorüber wallt
Das Schauern in den Zweigen.
Bis es dahin stirbt und verhallt
In Flüsterhauch und Schweigen.
Ja, Vöglein, wer da singen mag!
Wir kleinen Spielleut lauschen,
Wenn von des großen Griff und Schlag
Waldharfen um uns rauschen.
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):
- by W. J. Otto Lessmann (1844 - 1918), "Waldharfen", op. 30 no. 2, published 1893 [ voice and piano ], from Zwei Lieder aus den Singuf-Liedern von Julius Wolff, no. 2, Berlin, Fürstner [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hugo Riemann (1849 - 1919), "Waldharfen", op. 43, published 1885 [ low voice and piano ], Hamburg, Rahter [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hans August Friedrich Zincke genannt Sommer (1837 - 1922), "Waldharfen", op. 4 no. 15 (1882/83), published 1884 [ voice and piano ], from Hunold Singuf. Rattenfängerlieder nach Julius Wolff's Dichtungen, no. 15, Braunschweig, H. Litolff [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Arpes del bosc", copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Forest harps", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [
Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2010-02-25
Line count: 20
Word count: 98
Forest harps
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
A quiet, distant soughing rings
From down the mountaintop;
And as it swells and comes ever closer
I discern treetop-songs.
Forest harps, many thousands stand
Firmly rooted in the terrain,
The wind plays them, over them
He lets his strong hands glide.
It sighs and it blows and resounds,
It comes from afar on high,
The whole mountain forest roars and drones
And billows in green waves.
Like the flight of clouds the shuddering
In all the branches passes by.
Until it dies and fades away
In a whispering breath and silence.
Yes, little birds, who might sing there!
We little musicians listen
When from the great fingering and striking [of the wind]
Forest harps sough about us.
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:
This text was added to the website: 2014-05-26
Line count: 20
Word count: 118