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by Christian Morgenstern (1871 - 1914)
Translation © by John H. Campbell
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
Melancholy bird
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
A black-bird flies across the world, singing so sorrowfully of death . . . Whoever hears it, hears nothing else, whoever hears it, hears such sadness, they fear the sun may shine no more. All thru' the night it rests on the finger of death. He caresses the bird solemnly and urges it: Fly, my little bird! Fly, little bird! And again it flies soaring over the world.
Authorship
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by John H. Campbell, (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:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Christian Morgenstern (1871 - 1914), "Vöglein Schwermut", appears in Auf vielen Wegen, in Vom Tagwerk des Todes
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 10
Word count: 68