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Du Bächlein, silberhell und klar, Du eilst vorüber immerdar, Am Ufer steh' ich, sinn' und sinn', Wo kommst du her? Wo gehst du hin? Ich komm' aus dunkler Felsen Schoß, Mein Lauf geht über Blum' und Moos; Auf meinem Spiegel schwebt so mild Des blauen Himmels freundlich Bild. Drum hab' ich frohen Kindersinn; Es treibt mich fort, weiß nicht wohin. Der mich gerufen aus dem Stein, Der, denk ich, wird mein Führer sein.
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with E. Quietmeyer, Quietmeyers Schul- und Hausfreund: Deutsches Lesebuch, Hannover, Helwing'sche Hofbuchhandlung, 1875, p. 202.
Authorship:
- sometimes misattributed to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832)
- by Karoline Christiane Louise Rudolphi (1754 - 1811), "Das Bächlein" [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 Georg Eduard Goltermann (1824 - 1898), "Am Bächlein", op. 38 (Sechs Gesänge) no. 2, published 1863 [ voice and piano ], Offenbach, André [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ludwig Hess (1877 - 1944), "Das Bächlein", op. 28 (Fünf Lieder für 1 mittlere Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 3, published 1896 [ medium voice and piano ], Berlin, Verlag der freien musikal. Vereinigung [sung text not yet checked]
- by Johann Wenzeslaus Kalliwoda (1801 - 1866), "Das Bächlein", published 184-? [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hans Knappertsbusch (1888 - 1965), "Das Bächlein", 1936 [sung text not yet checked]
- by José Vianna da Motta (1868 - 1948), "Das Bächlein", op. 3 (Drei Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebleitung) no. 1, published 1887 [ voice and piano ], Frankfurt a/M., Steyl & Thomas [sung text not yet checked]
- by Richard Georg Strauss (1864 - 1949), "Das Bächlein", op. 88 no. 1 (1933), published 1951 [ voice, piano or orchestra ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Bruno Wandelt (1856 - 1933 ), "Das Bächlein", op. 6 (Acht kleine Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 8, published 1886 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Raabe & Plothow [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Le ruisselet", copyright © 2013, (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: 12
Word count: 73
You brooklet, silver-bright and clear, You hurry past forever; I stand on the bank, ponder and ponder, Whence do you come? Whither do you go? I come from the womb of dark rocks, My path leads over flowers and moss; Upon my mirror-like surface there hovers So gently the kindly image of the blue heavens. Therefore I have a merry childlike spirit; It drives me onward, I know not whither. He who called me forth from the rock, He, I think, shall be my guide.
About the headline (FAQ)
Translated titles:"Das Bächlein" = "The brooklet"
"Am Bächlein" = "By the brooklet"
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 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) misattributed to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832) and by Karoline Christiane Louise Rudolphi (1754 - 1811), "Das Bächlein"
This text was added to the website: 2016-06-28
Line count: 12
Word count: 85