by
Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914)
Herbstseele
Language: German (Deutsch)
Available translation(s): ENG FRE
Jägerruf und Blutgebell;
Hinter Kreuz und braunem Hügel
Blendet sacht der Weiherspiegel,
Schreit der Habicht hart und hell.
Über Stoppelfeld und Pfad
Banget schon ein schwarzes Schweigen;
Reiner Himmel in den Zweigen;
Nur der Bach rinnt still und stad.
Bald entgleitet Fisch und Wild.
Blaue Seele' dunkles Wandern
Schied uns bald von Lieben, Andern.
Abend wechselt Sinn und Bild.
Rechten Lebens Brot und Wein,
Gott in deine milden Hände
Legt der Mensch das dunkle Ende,
Alle Schuld und rote Pein.
Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Friedhelm Döhl (b. 1936), "Herbstseele", 1956, first performed 1980 [ voice and piano ], from Trakl Lieder, no. 3, confirmed with a CD booklet [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Heimo Erbse (1924 - 2005), "Herbstseele", op. 27 no. 5, published 1971 [ baritone and orchestra ], from Fünf Orchestergesänge nach Georg Trakl für Bariton und Orchester, no. 5 [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Bertram Kottmann) , "Autumn soul", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Âme de l'automne", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Malcolm Wren
[Guest Editor] This text was added to the website: 2017-09-30
Line count: 16
Word count: 80
Autumn soul
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch)
Tally-ho and bloodhounds baying;
behind the cross and the brown hill
the fishpond’s surface softly glares,
the hawk calls harsh and shrill.
Over stubble field and path
a black silence already worries;
cloudless sky above the branches;
just the brook flows still and calm.
Fish and game will soon withdraw.
Blue my soul, a darker wandering
soon severed us from loves and others.
Evening changes sense and view.
Righteous life earns bread and wine,
God into your mild hands
mankind lays its doubtful end,
all its guilt and all red pain.
Authorship:
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914), "Herbstseele"
This text was added to the website: 2018-11-28
Line count: 16
Word count: 91