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Ein Schwert, das schneidet, ein Falke, der fängt, Ein Roß, dran die Sporen zu sparen, Ein Saitenspiel über die Schulter gehängt, So will ich die Lande durchfahren. So ziehe ich fürbaß mit Sang und Klang Den Berg hinüber, die Straße entlang Und lasse beim Reiten und Reisen Die Wege vom Winde mir weisen. Ich suche mit Augen ein Königreich, Das liegt mir verlangend im Sinne, Ich schlage mich durch mit des Schwertes Streich Bis hin zu der Königin Minne. Und ist sie zu Hause, und finde ich sie, So beug' ich vor ihrem Throne das Knie Und will mich auf Tod und Leben Getreu ihrem Dienste ergeben. Mein Herz ist muthig, mein Arm gelenk, Zum Ritter muß sie mich schlagen, Ich werde ihr Marschalk, ihr Truchseß, ihr Schenk, Stets will ihre Farben ich tragen. Ich will für sie streiten zuvorderst im Heer Und will für sie brechen manch mannlichen Speer, Auf daß ich den Dank mir gewinne Zu Ehren und Ruhm der Frau Minne.
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with Julius Wolff, Tannhäuser. Ein Minnesang, Erster Band, Sechsundzwanzigstes Tausend, Berlin: G. Grote'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1887, page 120.
Authorship:
- by Julius Wolff (1834 - 1910), no title, appears in Tannhäuser: ein Minnesang, first published 1887 [author's text checked 2 times 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 Carl Kleemann , "Zu Ehren und Ruhm der Frau Minne", op. 7 (Vier Lieder für tiefe Stimme) no. 1, published 1885 [ voice and piano ], Berlin: Simrock [sung text not yet checked]
- by Carl Theodor Emanuel, Freiherr von Perfall (1824 - 1907), "Lied des Tannhäuser", published 1886 [ men's chorus a cappella ], München, Aibl. [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hans von Saurma-Jeltsch , "Ein Schwert, das schneidet", published 1882 [ voice and piano ], from Zehn Lieder aus Wolff's Tannhäuser, Wilder Jäger und Rattenfänger für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte, no. 2, Bonn, Cohen [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hans August Friedrich Zincke genannt Sommer (1837 - 1922), "Ein Schwert, das schneidet, ein Falke, der fängt", op. 5 no. 2 (1883), published 1884 [ voice and piano ], from Lieder aus Julius Wolff's Minnesang: Tannhäuser, no. 2, Braunschweig, H. Litolff [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hermann Strusch , "Tannhäuser am Minnehofe zu Avellenz", op. 2 (Fünf Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 2, published 1884 [ voice and piano ], Kassel, (Kuprion) [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2010-02-24
Line count: 24
Word count: 164
A sword that cuts, a falcon that catches, A horse that does not need any spurring, A stringed instrument hung over my shoulder, That is how I would travel through the lands. Thus I pass on my way with singing and resounding, Over the mountain, along the road, And as I ride and travel I let The wind show me the way. With my eyes a seek a kingdom, Which lives yearningly in my mind, I fight my way through with a strike of the sword Until I reach the Queen of Courtly Love. And if she’s at home, and if I find her, I will bend my knee before her throne And in life and death will faithfully Devote myself to her service. My heart is courageous, my arm is supple, She must make me a knight, I become her marshal, her steward, her butler, I will always wear her colours. I will fight for her at the head of the army And for her I will break many a manly spear, So that I win [her] gratitude, To the honour and fame of Courtly Love.
About the headline (FAQ)
Translated titles:"Ein Schwert, das schneidet" = "A sword that cuts"
"Ein Schwert, das schneidet, ein Falke, der fängt" = "A sword that cuts, a falcon that catches"
"Lied des Tannhäuser" = "Song of Tannhäuser"
"Tannhäuser am Minnehofe zu Avellenz" = "Tannhäuser at the Court of Love at Avellenz"
"Zu Ehren und Ruhm der Frau Minne" = "In honour and praise of Madame Love"
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.
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Julius Wolff (1834 - 1910), no title, appears in Tannhäuser: ein Minnesang, first published 1887
This text was added to the website: 2014-09-17
Line count: 24
Word count: 187