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by (Karl) Theodor Körner (1791 - 1813)
Translation © by Malcolm Wren
Wie die Nacht mit heil'gem Beben
Language: German (Deutsch)
Wie die Nacht mit heil'gem Beben Auf der stillen Erde liegt! Wie sie sanft der Seele Streben, Üpp'ge Kraft und volles Leben In den süßen Schlummer wiegt. Aber mit ewig neuen Schmerzen Regt sich die Sehnsucht in meiner Brust. Schlummern auch alle Gefühle im Herzen, Schweigt in der Seele Qual und Lust: - Sehnsucht der Liebe schlummert nie, Sehnsucht der Liebe [wacht spät und früh]1. Leis', wie Äols-Harfentöne Weh't ein sanfter Hauch mich an, Hold und freundlich glänzt Selene, Und in milder geist'ger Schöne Geht die Nacht die stille Bahn. [Aber auf kühnen stürmischen Wegen]2 [Führt]3 die Liebe [den trunkenen Sinn. Wie alle Kräfte gewaltig sich regen!]4 Ach! und die Ruhe der Brust ist dahin: Sehnsucht der Liebe schlummert nie, Sehnsucht der Liebe [wacht spät und früh]1. Tief, im süßen heil'gen Schweigen Ruht die Welt, und athmet kaum. Und die schönsten Bilder steigen Aus des Lebens [bunten]5 Reigen, Und lebendig wird der Traum. Aber auch in des Traumes Gestalten Winkt mir die Sehnsucht, die schmerzliche, zu, Und ohn' Erbarmen, mit tiefen Gewalten Stört sie das Herz aus der wonnigen Ruh: Sehnsucht der Liebe schlummert nie, Sehnsucht der Liebe [wacht spät und früh]1. So entschwebt der Kreis der Horen, Bis der Tag in Osten graut. Da erhebt sich, neugeboren, Aus des Morgens Rosen-Thoren, Glühendhell die Himmels-Braut. Aber die Sehnsucht [in meinem]6 Herzen Ist mit dem Morgen nur stärker erwacht. Ewig verjüngen sich meine Schmerzen, Quälen den Tag, und quälen die Nacht: Sehnsucht der Liebe schlummert nie, Sehnsucht der Liebe [wacht spät und früh]1.
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Knospen von Theodor Körner. Leipzig bei Georg Joachim Göschen. 1810, pages 108-110; with Theodor Körner's Gedichte. [Erster Theil.] Neueste Auflage. Wien 1815. Bey B. Ph. Bauer, pages 81-83; and with Theodor Körners vermischte Gedichte und Erzählungen (poetischer Nachlass). Wien, 1815. In der Haasschen Buchhandlung, pages 44-46.
1 Schubert (Neue Gesamtausgabe) "schlummert nie"2 Schubert (Alte Gesamtausgabe): "Aber ein kühnes, stürmisches Leben"
3 Zumsteeg: "Führet"; Schubert (Alte Gesamtausgabe): "Schenket"
4 Schubert (Alte Gesamtausgabe): "dem trunkenen Sinn,/ Deutlicher seh' ich dein Bild mir entschweben,"
5 Schubert (Alte Gesamtausgabe): "buntem"
6 Schubert (Alte Gesamtausgabe): "nach dir im"
Text Authorship:
- by (Karl) Theodor Körner (1791 - 1813), "Sehnsucht der Liebe", written 1808-09, appears in Knospen, first published 1810 [author's text checked 3 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 Constantin Decker (1810 - 1878), "Sehnsucht der Liebe", op. 2 (Sieben Lieder) no. 1 [ baritone or alto and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Friedrich Knuth (1793 - 1849), "Wie die Nacht mit heil'gem Beben", published 1838 [ voice and piano ], from Drei Lieder von Theodor Körner, no. 3, Berlin, Wagenführ [sung text not yet checked]
- by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Sehnsucht der Liebe", D 180 (1815), published 1894 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Emilie Zumsteeg (1796 - 1857), "Sehnsucht der Liebe", op. 6 (Lieder) no. 4, published 1842 [ voice and piano ], Stuttgart, Zumsteeg [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Emilie Zumsteeg (1796 - 1857), "Sehnsucht der Liebe", IEZ 1 no. 5, published c1817 [ voice and guitar ], from Fünf Lieder mit Begleitung der Guitarre, no. 5, Köln und Bonn, N. Simrock [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Desig d’amor", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Liefdeshonger", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Longing of love", copyright ©
- ENG English (Malcolm Wren) , "Love's longing", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Désir d'amour", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Richard Morris , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 44
Word count: 251
Love's longing
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
How the night makes a holy trembling As it lies on the quiet Earth! How gently it takes the soul's striving, Sumptuous strength and full life And rocks it into a sweet sleep! But with endlessly new pains Longing stirs in my breast. Even if all feelings are asleep in the heart, And if agony and joy are silent in the soul: Love's longing never sleeps, Love's longing is awake late and early. Quietly, like the notes of an Aeolian harp, A gentle breath is blowing towards me. Selene shines sweetly and in a friendly way, And in gentle, spiritual beauty Night goes on its quiet way. But a bold, stormy life Is what love gives to a drunken mind. More clearly I can see your image floating away from me. Oh! and the calm of my breast has gone! Love's longing never sleeps, Love's longing is awake late and early. Deep in sweet, holy silence The world is at rest and hardly breathes, And the most beautiful images rise Out of life's bright dances, And the dream comes alive. But even in the forms of dreams, Longing, so painful, signals to me, And without mercy, with deep force, It disturbs the heart, pulling it out of its blissful peace. Love's longing never sleeps, Love's longing is awake late and early. Thus the cycle of the hours floats by Until day dawns with a grey light in the East. There emerges, new born, Out of the morning's rose-pink gates, The bride of heaven, glowing brightly. But longing for you in my heart Has awoken even more strongly with the morning; My pains are eternally rejuvenated, Tormenting me by day, tormenting me by night. Love's longing never sleeps, Love's longing is awake late and early.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 by Malcolm Wren, (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:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by (Karl) Theodor Körner (1791 - 1813), "Sehnsucht der Liebe", written 1808-09, appears in Knospen, first published 1810
This text was added to the website: 2016-09-10
Line count: 44
Word count: 294