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Das ist ein Wandern, wenn der Schnee Der Alpenberge kühl erglänzt, Indes der erste blaue See Italiens schon die Sicht begrenzt! Durch Höhenwind und herbe Luft Weht eine süße Ahnung her Von violettem Ferneduft Und südlich übersonntem Meer. Und weiter sehnt das Auge sich Zum hellen Florentiner Dom Und träumt nach jedem Hügelstrich Aufsteigend das beglänzte Rom. Schon formt die Lippe unbewußt Der fremden schönen Sprache Laut, Indes ein Meer verklärter Lust Dir schauernd warm entgegenblaut.
Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada and the U.S., 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.
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 79.
Text Authorship:
- by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Über die Alpen", written 1901, appears in Neue deutsche Lyriker III , in Süden, first published 1919 [author's text checked 2 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 Dietrich Ammende (1901 - 1980), "Über die Alpen", published 1960 [ voice and piano ], from Auf Wanderung - Ein Liederzyklus nach Gedichten von Hermann Hesse, no. 7 [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "A través dels Alps", copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Over the alps", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Au-dessus des Alpes", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2009-05-06
Line count: 16
Word count: 76
That is a wandering, when the snow Of the alpine mountains sparkles coolly, Whilst Italy’s first blue lake Is already appearing on the view’s edge! Through the wind of the heights and tangy air A sweet premonition wafts hence -- [A premonition] of violet scent of the distance And southerly-sunned sea. And your eyes yearn farther Toward the bright cathedral of Florence And, beyond every line of hills, You imagine radiant Rome rising up. Unconsciously your lips are already forming The sounds of the lovely foreign tongue, Whilst a sea of transfigured joy Comes bluely, warmly, shiveringly toward you.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2018 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), "Über die Alpen", written 1901, appears in Neue deutsche Lyriker III , in Süden, first published 1919
This text was added to the website: 2018-01-28
Line count: 16
Word count: 98