by Christian Morgenstern (1871 - 1914)
Vöglein Schwermut
Language: German (Deutsch)
Ein schwarzes Vöglein fliegt über die Welt, das singt so todestraurig... [Wer es hört, der hört nichts anderes mehr,]1 wer es hört, der tut sich ein Leides an, der mag keine Sonne mehr schauen. Allmitternacht ruht es [sich]2 aus auf [dem Finger]3 des Tods. Der streichelt's leis und spricht ihm zu: "Flieg, mein [Vögelein!]4 flieg, mein [Vögelein!]3" Und wieder [fliegt's]5 flötend über die Welt.
View original text (without footnotes)
1 omitted by Petersen.
2 omitted by Wolff
3 Zemlinsky: "den Fingern"
4 Zemlinsky: "Vögelchen!"
5 Wolff: "fliegt's Vögelein"
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
1 omitted by Petersen.
2 omitted by Wolff
3 Zemlinsky: "den Fingern"
4 Zemlinsky: "Vögelchen!"
5 Wolff: "fliegt's Vögelein"
Authorship
- by Christian Morgenstern (1871 - 1914), "Vöglein Schwermut", appears in Auf vielen Wegen, in Vom Tagwerk des Todes [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 Hans Gál (1890 - 1987), "Vöglein Schwermut", op. 33 (Fünf Lieder) no. 3 (1917), published 1929 [medium voice and piano], N, Simrock, Berlin [ sung text verified 1 time]
- by Harald Genzmer (1909 - 2007), "Vöglein Schwermut", 1940-87 [baritone or soprano and piano], from Acht Lieder nach verschiedenen Dichtern [ sung text not verified ]
- by Heinz Holliger (b. 1939), "Vöglein Schwermut", 1956/7, rev. 2003 [soprano and piano or orchestra], from Sechs Lieder nach Gedichten von Christian Morgenstern, no. 4, Schott [ sung text not verified ]
- by Yrjö Henrik Kilpinen (1892 - 1959), "Vöglein Schwermut", op. 62 no. 1 (1928), from Lieder um den Tod, no. 1. [ sung text verified 1 time]
- by Wilhelm Petersen (1890 - 1957), "Vöglein Schwermut", op. 41 (Vier Lieder) no. 1. [ sung text verified 1 time]
- by (Richard Gustav) Heinz Tiessen (1887 - 1971), "Vöglein Schwermut", op. 23 no. 3. [ sung text not verified ]
- by Ernest Vietor (fl. 1905-1930), "Vöglein Schwermut", op. 5 no. 2. [ sung text not verified ]
- by Karl Weigl (1881 - 1949), "Vöglein Schwermut", op. 26 (2 Frauenchöre a cappella) no. 1 (1918-9), published 1933. [four-part women's chorus a cappella] [ sung text not verified ]
- by Felix Paul Weingartner (1863 - 1942), "Vöglein Schwermut", op. 39 no. 2 (1906). [ sung text not verified ]
- by Erich J. Wolff (1874 - 1913), "Vöglein Schwermut", Lieder no. 16, published 1914. [voice and piano] [ sung text verified 1 time]
- by Stefan Wolpe (1902 - 1972), "Vöglein Schwermut", 1920. [voice and piano] [ sung text not verified ]
- by Erich Zeisl (1905 - 1959), "Vöglein Schwermut", 1929 [alto and piano], unpublished [ sung text not verified ]
- by Alexander Zemlinsky (1871 - 1942), "Vöglein Schwermut", op. 10 (Sechs Lieder und Gesänge) no. 3 (1901?), from Ehetanzlied und andere Gesänge, no. 3. [ sung text verified 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (John H. Campbell) , "Melancholy bird", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Mélancolie du petit oiseau", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 10
Word count: 64