Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt
Weiß, was ich leide!
Allein und abgetrennt
Von aller Freude
[Seh]1 ich an's Firmament
Nach [jener]2 Seite.
[Ach, der]3 mich liebt [und kennt]4,
Ist in der Weite.
Es [schwindelt]5 mir, es brennt
Mein Eingeweide.
Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt
Weiß, was ich leide!

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Confirmed with Goethe's Werke. Vollständige Ausgabe letzter Hand. Zweyter Band. Stuttgart und Tübingen, in der J.G.Cotta'schen Buchhandlung. 1827, page 118; and with Goethe's Werke. Vollständige Ausgabe letzter Hand. Neunzehnter Band. Stuttgart und Tübingen, in der J.G.Cotta'schen Buchhandlung. 1828, page 67.

First published in Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre. Ein Roman. Herausgegeben von Goethe. Zweyter Band. Berlin. Bei Johann Friedrich Unger. 1795, pages 265-266. The poem appears in Book 4, Chapter 11 of Goethe's novel.

¹ Schubert (D. 310, first version): "Blick"
² Lang: "jeder"
³ Goethe (only in the novel, not in editions of the poems): "Ach! der"; Zelter: "Ach, die"
⁴ omitted by Zeisl.
⁵ Goethe (only in editions of the novel later than 1815, not in editions of the poems): "schwindet"

Authorship:

• by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), "Mignon", written 1785, appears in Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre, first published 1795 [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 Akhilles Nikolayevich Alferaki (1846 - 1919), "Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt", op. 28 (4 Романса с сопровождением фортепиано (4 Romansa s soprovozhdeniem fortepiano)) no. 3, published 1898 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Belaieff, also set in Russian (Русский) [sung text not yet checked]
• by Johann Anton André (1775 - 1842), "Sehnsucht", c1818/9 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827), "Sehnsucht. Gedicht von Goethe viermal in Musik gesetzt von L. van Beethoven", WoO. 134 (1808), note: four different settings [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Carl Brinkmann , "Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt", published 1900 [ medium voice, cello, and piano ], from Zwei Lieder für 1 Mittelstimme mit Violoncello und Pianofortebegleitung, no. 2, Berlin, Sulzbach [sung text not yet checked]
• by Franz Danzi (1763 - 1826), "Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt", op. 14 (6 Deutsche Lieder) no. 4, P 171 no. 4, published [1803] [ voice and piano ], Munich: Falterische Musikhandlung [sung text not yet checked]
• by Bernhard Dessau (1861 - 1923), "Sehnsucht", op. 2 (Sechs Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1884 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Paez [sung text not yet checked]
• by Catharinus Elling (1858 - 1942), "Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt" [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Zdenko Antonín Václav Fibich (1850 - 1900), "Lied der Mignon (Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt)", H. 134 no. 2 (1871), published 1893, first performed 1914, from Aus Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahren, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Hans Fleischer (1896 - 1981), "Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt", op. 78 (8 Lieder für mittlere Singstimme und Klavier) no. 7 (1923) [ medium voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
• by Carl Theodor Flodin (1858 - 1925), "Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt " [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Gustav Flügel (1812 - 1900), "Mignon", op. 3 (Acht Lieder für Sopran, Alt oder Tenor mit Pianoforte) no. 2, published 1842 [ voice and piano ], Stettin, Bulang [sung text not yet checked]
• by Friedrich Theodor Fröhlich (1803 - 1836), "Mignon", op. 8 (Sechs Lieder für Altstimme mit Begleitung des Pianoforte) no. 5, published 1830 [ alto and piano ], Leipzig, Hofmeister [sung text not yet checked]
• by Max Heinemann , "Mignon-Lied", published 1885 [ medium voice and piano ], from Sechs Lieder für 1 mittlere Stimme mit Pianoforte, no. 4, Berlin, Raabe & Plothow [sung text not yet checked]
• by Fanny Hensel (1805 - 1847), "Mignon", 1826 [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Emmerich (Joseph Otto Johann Philipp Heinrich Valentin), Freiherr von Hettersdorf (1766 - 1830), "Sehnsucht", c1811/2 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Carl August Heymann-Rheineck (1854 - 1922), "Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt", op. 2 (Sechs Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 2, published 1882 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Schlesinger [sung text not yet checked]
• by Ferdinand von Hiller (1811 - 1885), "Mignon", op. 129 (Zwölf Gesänge für Altstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 3, published 1867 [ alto and piano ], Bremen, Cranz [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Iver Holter (1850 - 1941), "Lied der Mignon", op. 5 (Vier Gesänge für 1 mittlere Stimme mit Pianoforte) no. 2, published 1881 [ medium voice and piano ], Offenbach, André [sung text not yet checked]
• by Eugène Jámbor (1853 - 1914), "Mignon", op. 30 (Fünf Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 4, published 1894 [ voice and piano ], Offenbach, André [sung text not yet checked]
• by Gustav Jansen [not F. G. Jansen] , "Mignon", published 1863 [ voice and piano ], from Musikalisches Göthe-Album. Eine Sammlung Göthescher Lieder, no. 14, Berlin, Mendel  [sung text not yet checked]
• by Gustav Jenner (1865 - 1920), "Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt", op. 7 (Sechs Lieder für eine Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 2, published 1900 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Breitkopf und Härtel [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Ernst Jonas , "Sehnsucht", op. 29 (Zwei Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 2, published 1879 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Bote & Bock [sung text not yet checked]
• by Johann Christoph Kienlen (1783 - 1829), "Lied der Mignon und des Harfenspielers", published 1810, from Zwölf Lieder von Goethe, no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Bernhard (Joseph) Klein (1793 - 1832), "Mignon", published c1820 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
• by Joseph Klein (1802 - 1862), "Mignon", published 1836 [ voice and piano ], from Sechs Gedichte aus Wilhelm Meister's Lehrjahren, von Goethe, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Hans Kretzschmer , "Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt", op. 3 (Zwei Lieder für 1 mittlere Stimme mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 1, published 1893 [ medium voice and piano ], Naumburg, Schmidt [sung text not yet checked]
• by Conradin Kreutzer (1780 - 1849), "Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt ", op. 75 (12 Lieder und Romanzen für 1 und 2 Singstimmen mit Pianoforte) no. 1, KWV. 9111 no. 1 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Kistner [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Josephine Lang (1815 - 1880), "Mignons Klage", op. 10 (Sechs Lieder) no. 2 (1835), published 1841 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Kistner [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Leopold Lenz (1803 - 1862), "Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt", op. 12 no. 7, published 1832 [ duet for 2 voices and piano ], from Mignon der Harfner und Philine ein Cyclus von acht Gesaengen aus "Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre", no. 7 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Carl Loewe (1796 - 1869), "Sehnsucht", op. 9, Heft 3 no. 5 (1818?) [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Nikolai Karlovich Medtner (1880 - 1951), "Mignon", op. 18 no. 4 (1908-9), from Sechs Gedichte von Goethe, no. 4 [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Heinrich Meyer , "Lied der Mignon", op. 12, published 1881 [ voice and piano ], Hamburg, Thiemer [sung text not yet checked]
• by Emanuel Moór (1863 - 1931), "Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt", op. 13 (Sechzehn Lieder) no. 14, published 1890 [ voice and piano ], Mainz, Schott [sung text not yet checked]
• by Ignaz von Mosel (1772 - 1844), "Sehnsucht", published c1820/1 [ voice and piano ], from Sechs Gedichte, no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Emil Naumann (1827 - 1888), "Sehnsucht", op. 31 no. 3, published 1878 [ voice and piano ], from Nachklänge. Sechs Gesänge für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung, no. 3, Berlin, Bote & Bock [sung text not yet checked]
• by Heinrich Proch (1809 - 1878), "Lied der Mignon", op. 79 no. 2, published 1841 [ voice and piano ], Wien, Diabelli und Co. [sung text not yet checked]
• by Wenzeslaus Rafael Gottfried, Graf von Purgstall (1798 - 1817), "Das Lied der Sehnsucht", published 1821, Wien: A. Strauß ; appeared in Denkmal auf das Grab des beyden letzten Grafen von Purgstall. Gesetzt von ihrem Freunde Joseph von Hammer [sung text not yet checked]
• by Johann Friedrich Reichardt (1752 - 1814), "Sehnsucht", published 1795-6 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Johann Friedrich Reichardt (1752 - 1814), "Sehnsucht", published 1805-6 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Bernard Reichel (1901 - 1992), "Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt", published 198-? [ voice and piano ], from Lieder-Gedichte von Goethe, no. 2, Monthey : Cantate Domino [sung text not yet checked]
• by Karl Gottlieb Reissiger (1798 - 1859), "Mignons Gesang", op. 79 (Gesänge und Lieder von Förster, Göthe und Pulvermacher für eine Sopran, Mezzo-Sopran, Tenor oder Bariton-Stimme mit Begleitung des Pianoforte) no. 2, published [1832] [ voice and piano ], Leipzig: Bei C. A. Klemm [sung text not yet checked]
• by Anton Grigoryevich Rubinstein (1829 - 1894), "Mignon und der Harfner", op. 91 no. 7, from Die Gedichte und das Requiem fur Mignon aus Goethe's "Wilhelm Meister's Lehrjahre", no. 7 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Franz Rudolph , "Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt ", op. 2 no. 2, published 1899 [ voice and piano ], from Mignon-Lieder von Goethe für 1 Singstimme und Pianoforte, no. 2, Innsbruck, Gross [sung text not yet checked]
• by Malvina Schnorr von Carolsfeld, née Malvina Garrigues (1825 - 1904), "Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt", published 1880 [ voice and piano ], from Mignon's vier Lieder von Goethe, für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte, no. 3, Berlin, Bote & Bock  [sung text not yet checked]
• by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Sehnsucht", D 310 (1815), published 1895 [ voice, piano ], first setting (2 versions) [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Sehnsucht", D 359 (1816), published 1872 [ voice, piano ], second setting [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Sehnsucht", D 481 (1816), published 1895 [ voice, piano ], third setting [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Sehnsucht", D 656 (1819), published 1867, first performed 1868 [ vocal quintet for male voices ], fourth setting [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Mignon und der Harfner", op. 62 (Gesänge aus Wilhelm Meister) no. 1, D 877 no. 1 (1826), published 1827 [ vocal duet with piano ], from Gesänge aus Wilhelm Meister, no. 1, fifth setting [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Lied der Mignon", op. 62 (Gesänge aus Wilhelm Meister) no. 4, D 877 no. 4 (1826), published 1827 [ voice, piano ], from Gesänge aus Wilhelm Meister, no. 4, sixth setting [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856), "Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt", op. 98a no. 3 (1849), published 1851 [ soprano and piano ], from Lieder und Gesänge aus dem "Wilhelm Meister" von Goethe, no. 3, Leipzig, Breitkopf und Härtel [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Friedrich Siebmann , "Mignon's Lied", op. 60 (Sechs Lieder) no. 2, published 1880 [ alto or baritone and piano ], Leipzig, Breitkopf & Härtel [sung text not yet checked]
• by Hans August Friedrich Zincke genannt Sommer (1837 - 1922), "Mignons Sehnen" [ voice and orchestra ], confirmed with a CD booklet [sung text checked 1 time]
• by F(erdinand?) Stein , "Sehnsucht" [sung text not yet checked]
• by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840 - 1893), "Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt", op. 6 (Шесть романсов = Shest' romansov (Six romances)) no. 6 (1869), also set in Russian (Русский) [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Fabio Vacchi (b. 1949), "Mignon (Über die Sehsucht) ", 1995 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Wendelin Weißheimer (1838 - 1910), "Mignon" [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
• by Hugo Wolf (1860 - 1903), "Mignon II", published 1891 [ voice and piano ], from Goethe-Lieder, no. 6, Mainz, Schott [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Erich Zeisl (1905 - 1959), "Dieselbe", 1938 [ soprano and piano ], unpublished [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Karl Friedrich Zelter (1758 - 1832), "Sehnsucht", Z 120 no. 5 (1795), published 1821 [ voice and piano ], from 12 Lieder, no. 5 [sung text checked 1 time]

Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:

• Also set in Russian (Русский), a translation by Lev Aleksandrovich Mey (1822 - 1862) , no title, written 1858 ; composed by Vojtěch Hlaváč, as Войтех Иванович Главач, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
  • Go to the text.
    
• Also set in Russian (Русский), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Akhilles Nikolayevich Alferaki.
  • Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
    

Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

• CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• CZE Czech (Čeština) (Jan Evangelista Nečas) , "Táž"
• DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Slechts wie de hunk'ring kent", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• ENG English (Lawrence Snyder) , no title, copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• ENG English [singable] (David Paley) , "Only my yearning shows", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• GRE Greek (Ελληνικά) [singable] (Christakis Poumbouris) , copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• IRI Irish (Gaelic) [singable] (Gabriel Rosenstock) , copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Solo chi conosce la nostalgia", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• ITA Italian (Italiano) (Paolo Montanari) , copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• POR Portuguese (Português) (Ana Vargas) , copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• SPA Spanish (Español) (Mercedes Vivas) , copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• TUR Turkish (Türkçe) (Gül Sabar) , copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Lawrence Snyder , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor] , Johann Winkler

This text was added to the website: 2003-10-13
Line count: 12
Word count: 48

Μόνο’ όποιος λαχταρά,
Πώς πάσχω ξέρει!
Έρμη, κι από χαρά
Αποκομμένη,
Προς το στερέωμα
Κοιτώ μην έρθει

Αυτός που μ’ αγαπά
Απ’ τ’ άλλα μέρη.
Ζαλίζομαι, βαθιά
Με καίν’ τα μέλη.
Μόνο’ όποιος λαχταρά,
Πώς πάσχω ξέρει!