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Schnell welkt das Vergängliche. Schnell stieben die [verdorrten]1 Jahre davon. Spöttisch blicken die scheinbar ewigen Sterne. In uns innen der Geist allein Mag unbewegt schauen das Spiel, Ohne Spott, ohne Schmerz. Ihm sind "vergänglich" und "ewig" Gleich viel, gleich wenig . . . Aber das Herz Wehrt sich, glüht auf in Liebe, Und ergibt sich, welkende [Blume]2, Dem unendlichen Todesruf, Dem unendlichen Liebesruf.
About the headline (FAQ)
Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Hermann Hesse, Sämtliche Werke, herausgegeben von Volker Michels, Band 10 Die Gedichte, bearbeitet von Peter Huber, Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag, 2002, page 313.
1 Another edition: "verblühten"2 Another edition: "Rose"
Text Authorship:
- by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Bei der Nachricht vom Tod eines Freundes", written 1930 [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 Kurt Driesch (1904 - 1989), "Nach dem Empfang einer Todesnachricht", op. 14 (1936) [ alto and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Gerhard Schumann (b. 1914), "Bei der Nachricht vom Tod eines Freundes" [ baritone and string quartet ], from Drei Gesänge für Bariton und Streichquartett, no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2009-05-04
Line count: 13
Word count: 66
What is transient rapidly wilts. The [withered]1 years drift rapidly away. The seemingly eternal stars gaze down mockingly. Within us the spirit alone May regard the play with equanimity, Without derision, without pain. To the spirit, "ephemeral" and "eternal" Mean equally much, equally little . . . But the heart Resists, flames up in love And surrenders itself, a wilting [flower]2, To the unending summons of death, The unending summons of love.
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Translated titles:
"Bei der Nachricht vom Tod eines Freundes" = "Upon hearing the news of a friend’s death"
"Nach dem Empfang einer Todesnachricht" = "After receiving news of a death"
2 Another edition: "rose"
Text 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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Bei der Nachricht vom Tod eines Freundes", written 1930
This text was added to the website: 2016-09-29
Line count: 13
Word count: 75