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Schöpferinn beseelter Töne! Nachklang dem Olymp enthallt! Holde, körperlose Schöne, Sanfte geistige Gewalt, Die das Herz der Erdensöhne Kühn erhebt, und mild umwallt! Die in inn'rer Stürme Drange Labt mit stillender Magie, Komm mit deinem Sühngesange, Himmelstochter, Harmonie! Seufzer, die das Herz erstickte, Das, mißkannt, sich endlich schloß - Thränen, die das Aug' zerdrückte, Das einst viel' umsonst vergoß, Dankt dir wieder der Entzückte, Den dein Labequell umfloß. Der Empfindung zarte Blume, Die manch frost'ger Blick versengt, Blüht erquickt im Heiligthume Einer Brust, die du getränkt. Des Vergangnen Traumgebilde, Amors Morgen-Fantasien, Heißt dein Ruf, so still wie milde [Mondesschatten]1, uns umziehn; Auf des Lebens Herbstgefilde Längst verwelkte Veilchen blühn. Süßer Täuschung Zauberblüthe, Die Erfahrung knickt und rafft, Weckt im ödesten Gemüthe Deines Wohllauts Schöpfungskraft. Holder, nun ein süßes Wähnen, Kehrt das Bild verfloss'ner Zeit; Zarter strebt der Liebe Sehnen, Milder glüht die Innigkeit, Wenn dein Chor den Trauer-Scenen Höhern Trost und Anmuth leiht; Gibt, wo Worte nichts vermögen, Labsal dem zerstörten Geist; Der Ergebung stillen Segen, Wo die Thrän' erschöpfend fleußt. Hefte auf die lichtern Stellen Unsrer Bahn der Schwermuth Blick; Trag' den Geist auf Wohllautswellen In ein Friedensland zurück. Solch ein Leben zu erhellen Braucht man Täuschung und Musik! Wo der Sturm des Zeitenganges Meist der Bessern Plan zerreißt, Träufl' im Balsam des Gesanges Hoffnung in der Edlen Geist. Komm, Momente zu verschönen, Dem, der nicht der Zukunft traut; Schleuß den Blick mit Schlummertönen, Der zu starr ins Dunkel schaut; Wie den Säugling beym Entwöhnen Eines Wiegenliedes Laut, Lull' auch uns in goldne Träume Einer bessern, innern Welt, Bis ein sanftres Licht die Räume Unsres Kerkers still erhellt. Engel! den zum Seelenkranken Sanftes Mitleid niederträgt; Der erquickende Gedanken In der Töne Hülle legt; Lindernd, statt der [Dornenranken]2, Seinen Fittig um ihn schlägt; Dem kein Erdentrost geblieben, Seiner stummen Schwermuth treu - Lehr' ihn weinen, lehr' ihn lieben, Und sein Leben blüht ihm neu. Gabe, Sterblichen verliehen, Zart Gefühltes, scheu verhehlt, Zu vertraun an Melodieen - Süße Macht, die nie verfehlt, Seel' an Seele hinzuziehen; Was beseligt, was uns quält, Was mit Worten auszudrücken Keiner Sprache Kraft gelang - Sehnsucht, Schauer und Entzücken Zu ergießen im Gesang. Stimm' aus jenen lichtern Sphären, Sprach' aus Psyche's Vaterland, Mit des Heimelns süßen Zähren Hier im fremden Thal erkannt - Ach! sie fühlt noch ihr Begehren, Höhern Zonen zugewandt; Kennt die Sprache, mehr als Worte, Und vernimmt der Seelen Ton; Wähnt sich an des Himmels Pforte, Der Verbannung Kluft entflohn. Tön' in leisen Sterbe-Chören Durch des Todes Nacht uns vor! Bey des äußern Sinns Zerstören Weile in des Geistes Ohr! Die der Erde nicht gehören, Heb' mit Schwanensang empor! Löse sanft des Lebens Bande, Mildre Kampf und Agonie, Und empfang' im Seelenlande Uns, o [Seraph, Harmonie]3!
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Gedichte von J. G. von Salis. Neueste Auflage. Wien 1815. Bey B. Ph. Bauer, pages 129-133; and with Iris. Ein Taschenbuch für 1804. Herausgegeben von J. G. Jacobi. Zürich, bey Orell, Füssli und Compagnie, pages 209-214.
1 Salis (Jacobi 1804 edition): "Mondes Schatten"2 Salis (Jacobi 1804 edition): "Dornen Ranken"
3 Salis (Jacobi 1804 edition): "Seraph-Harmonie"
Authorship:
- by Johann Gaudenz Freiherr von Salis-Seewis (1762 - 1834), "Gesang an die Harmonie", first published 1804 [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 Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "An die Harmonie", D 394 (1816), published 1895 [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Aan de harmonie", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "To harmony", copyright ©
- ENG English (Malcolm Wren) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Antonio Zencovich) , "All'armonia", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 100
Word count: 453
Creator of inspired notes! Echo carrying reverberations of Olympus! Beauteous, incorporeal beauty, Gentle, spiritual power, Moving the heart of the sons of earth, Boldly lifting them up and gently swirling around them! Who, as inner storms rage, Offers refreshment with calming magic, Come with your song of atonement, Heaven's daughter, harmony! Sighs, which constricted the heart, Which, misunderstood, finally closed - Tears, which smothered the eyes, Many of which at one time were poured out in vain, He who is enraptured now thanks you for them once more, As your healing spring flows around him. The tender flower of emotion, Which is destroyed by many a frosty look, Is blossoming, given life in the shrine Of a breast which you nourished. The dream images of the past, Amor's morning fantasies, You call them up, making them as quiet as gentle Shadows in the moonlight when they surround us. In the autumnal realm of life Violets that withered long ago bloom again. The magical blossoms of sweet disappointment, Which experience has collected up and creased, Are woken up, even in the most despondent of minds, By the creative power of your attractive sound. More beauteous, now as a sweet delusion The image of time that has flown by comes back; Love's longing strives more tenderly, Inwardness glows more gently When your chorus accompanies scenes of mourning, Lending them a higher solace and grace; Where words are powerless, you give Refreshment to the ruined spirit; You give the blessing of humility Where tears cause exhaustion as they flow. You fix onto the brighter places Of our journey the melancholy gaze; You carry the spirit on waves of concord Back into a land of peace. In order to brighten such a life Delusion and music are needed! Where the storm of time's passage Tears up most of our best plans, The balm of song drips Hope into the noble spirit. Come to beautify moments For those who do not trust the future; With your soporific notes close the eyes Of those who stare too rigidly into the darkness; Like an infant being weaned needs The sound of a lullaby, Lull us too into golden dreams Of a better, inner world, Until a more gentle light shines into the space Of our dungeon, bringing a calm brightness. Angel, you who help the one who is soul-sick By bringing down gentle compassion, Who brings refreshing thoughts And lays them in the wrappings of notes, Offering relief, instead of thorny branches You wrap your wings around him; To him for whom no earthly consolation remains, And who is faithful to his silent melancholy . . . Teach him to weep, teach him to love, And may his life bloom anew for him. Gift, conferred on mortals, Tenderly felt, shyly concealed, To trust in melodies . . . Sweet power, which never fails, To attract soul to soul; What makes us blissful, what torments us, What cannot be expressed with words In any language . . . Longing, horror and enchantment You are poured out into song. Voice from those brighter spheres, Language from Psyche's fatherland, With the sweet tears of a lost homeland Known here in an alien valley . . . Oh! your wishes are still granted, Turned towards higher zones; You know the language, more than the actual words, And you can hear the soul's note; At heaven's gate you imagine That you have escaped from the abyss of banishment. In gentle dying choruses sing out To us through the night of death! When external senses have been destroyed Remain in the spirit's ear! Those who do not belong to the Earth, Lift them up with a swan-song! Gently cut loose the ties of life, Ease the battle and the agony, And into the land of souls receive Us, oh seraph, harmony!
About the headline (FAQ)
Translations of title(s):
"Gesang an die Harmonie" = "Song to harmony"
"An die Harmonie" = "To harmony"
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2017 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.
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Johann Gaudenz Freiherr von Salis-Seewis (1762 - 1834), "Gesang an die Harmonie", first published 1804
This text was added to the website: 2017-07-16
Line count: 100
Word count: 638