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(Recitativo) Und nimmer schreibst du? Bleibest uns verloren, Ein starr Verstummter, nun für ew'ge Zeit? Vielleicht, weil neue Freunde du erkoren? Wardst du Assessor denn am Tisch so breit, Woran beim Aktenstoß seufzt Langeweile, Um abzusterben aller Freudigkeit? Doch nein, nur wir sind's, nur uns ward zu Teile Dies Schweigen, dies Verstummen und Vergessen. Armut und Not selbst an der kleinsten Zeile! Für jeden bist du schriftkarg nicht gesessen; Für manchen kamen Briefe angeflogen, Und nach der Elle hast du sie gemessen; Doch uns, Barbar, hast du dein Herz entzogen! (Aria) Schwingt euch kühn, zu bange Klagen, Aus empörter Brust hervor, Und von Melodien getragen, Wagt euch an des Fernen Ohr! Was er immer mag erwidern, Dieses hier saget doch; »Zwar vergessen, jenes Biedern Denken wir in Liebe noch.«
Note: Schubert received the text of this humorous complaint letter, which Matthäus von Collin sent to his cousin Josef von Spaun, in handwritten form. The text is documented as item no. 300 in Franz Schubert. Die Dokumente seines Lebens und Schaffens. Herausgegeben von Otto Erich Deutsch. Zweiter Band. Erste Hälfte. München und Leipzig 1914 bei Georg Müller, pages 119-120.
Text Authorship:
- by Matthäus Kasimir von Collin (1779 - 1824) [author's text not yet checked 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), "Herrn Josef Spaun, Assessor in Linz", D 749 (1822), published 1850 [ voice, piano ], A. Diabelli & Co., VN 8823 Wien (Nachlaß-Lieferung 46) [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Epístola "Al Sr. Josef von Spaun, assessor a Linz”", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Epistel. Een muzikale grap", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Epistle: To Mr. Joseph von Spaun, Assessor in Linz", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Épître « À Monsieur Joseph Spaun, assesseur à Linz »", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Richard Morris , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 127
(Recitatiu) I tu mai no has escrit, has restat perdut per a nosaltres, un mut enravenat, durant tot aquest temps inacabable? Potser és perquè has escollit nous amics? Esdevingueres doncs assessor a una taula tan ample, on enmig de les piles de documents l'avorriment hi sospira per fer esmortir tota la joia? Però no, tan sols som nosaltres. Només a nosaltres ens fou adjudicat aquest callament, aquest mutisme i aquest oblit, pobresa i misèria, àdhuc per a la línia més petita! No per a tothom has estat escàs d'escriptura; per a molts les cartes arribaren volant i tu les mesurares a colzades; però a nosaltres, bàrbar, ens has retirat el cor! (Ària) Eleveu-vos amb audàcia fins a planys d'ansietat, des dels cors indignats i, portats per melodies, goseu arribar a orelles llunyanes! I a tot el que ell pugui rebatre, digueu-li però això; “Per bé que fórem oblidats, en aquell home honrat, hi pensem encara amb afecte!”
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to Catalan (Català) copyright © 2017 by Salvador Pila, (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 Matthäus Kasimir von Collin (1779 - 1824)
This text was added to the website: 2017-09-30
Line count: 26
Word count: 157