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O Schwälbchen, das du über's Meer willst [fliehen]1, Hab' dir ein Wort zu sagen, willst du bleiben? Laß aus dem Flügel dir die Feder ziehen, Ich will dem fernen Lieb ein Briefchen schreiben. Birg unter'm Flügelein es leise, leise, Verlösch' mir nicht die Schrift der Liebe. O Schwälbchen, triffst du sie auf deiner Reise, Sag': diesen Brief schickt, der dich liebt, du Liebe.
Confirmed with Woldemar Kaden, Italiens Wunderhorn. Volkslieder aus allen Provinzen der Halbinsel und Siciliens in deutscher Übertragung, Stuttgart: Meyer & Zeller’s Verlag, 1878, page 30. The poem has the following quote at the top:
O rindineddha, ci 'mbarchi lu mare, 'Jeni quantu ti dicu do' palore . . .1 von Fielitz: "fliegen"
Text Authorship:
- by Woldemar Kaden (1838 - 1907), "Schwalbenbotschaft", first published 1878 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in Italian (Italiano) from Volkslieder (Folksongs) [text unavailable]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Alexander von Fielitz (1860 - 1930), "Schwalbenbotschaft", op. 26 (Sechs Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 5, published 1894 [ voice and piano ], Magdeburg, Heinrichshofen Verlag [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Message by swallow", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2018-02-21
Line count: 8
Word count: 65
Oh little swallow, who wishes to [flee]1 across the sea, I have a word to tell you, would you stay? Let me pull a feather from your wing, I wish to write a little letter to my distant love. Hide it quietly, quietly under your little wing, Do not erase the script of love. Oh little swallow, should you meet her upon your journey, Say: this letter is sent by him who loves you, you adorable one.
1 von Fielitz: "fly"
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.
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Woldemar Kaden (1838 - 1907), "Schwalbenbotschaft", first published 1878
Based on:
- a text in Italian (Italiano) from Volkslieder (Folksongs) [text unavailable]
This text was added to the website: 2018-03-31
Line count: 8
Word count: 78