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Die Harfe hat des Gottgeliebten Hand, Der königliche Sänger einst geschlagen! Musik hat sie geheiligt und empfand Bei ihrem Klang ein seelenvolles Klagen; Ihr Schweigen wird nun doppelt schwer [sie tragen!]1 Sie weckte selbst im eh'rnen Mann Gefühl, Lieh manche Tugend ihm, die er nicht kannte; Es war kein Ohr so stumpf, kein Herz so kühl, Das nicht bei ihrer Töne Klang entbrannte, Bis man sie mächt'ger als den Thron benannte. Sie sang einst unsres Königs Sieg und Glanz, Sie pries den Ewigen mit tausend Heilen, Sie ließ sich drehn der Hügel bunten Kranz, Die Cedern wanken und die Thäler eilen, Gen Himmel schwebt ihr Ton, um dort zu weilen. Auf Erden zwar verklang sie jedem Ohr, Andacht mit ihrer Tochter Liebe schüren Nur noch die Herzen an mit einem Chor Von [Tönen,]2 Träumen, die vom Himmel rühren Und die kein Licht des Tages kann entführen.3
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)1 Végh: "ertragen..."
2 Végh: "Tönen und"
3 Végh adds: "die kein Licht des Tages entführt!"
Authorship:
- by Adolf Böttger (1815 - 1870), "Die Harfe hat des Gottgeliebten", appears in Hebräische Melodien, no. 2, first published 1841 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788 - 1824), "The harp the monarch minstrel swept", appears in Hebrew Melodies, no. 2, first published 1815
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Max Seifriz (1827 - 1885), "Die Harfe der Gottgeliebten", op. 4 no. 2, published 1863 [SATB quartet], from 8 Hebrew Melodies (Hebräische Melodien) by Lord Byron. Deutsch v. A. Böttger, no. 2, Leipzig, Schuberth u. Co. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
- by János Végh (1845 - 1918), as Johann Végh, "Die Harfe", published 1869 [voice and piano], from Zwölf Gedichte, Heft 2, no. 7, Pest: Táborszky & Parsch; Wien: F. Wessely; Leipzig: Fr. Hofmeister, Nr. 72 [ sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2011-05-22
Line count: 20
Word count: 146
This harp was once plucked by the hand Of one whom God loves, the royal singer! Music sanctified it and at its sounding Felt a soulful lamenting; It shall now [bear] its silence with double difficulty!1 Even in the hard-hearted man it wakened feeling; Lent him many a virtue that he did not know; No ear was so dulled, no heart so cold That it did not come aglow at the sound of its tones, Until [the harp] was deemed mightier than the throne. It once sang of the victories and splendour of our king, It praised the Eternal One with a thousand hails, The colourful wreath of hills twirled at its command, The cedars tottered and the valleys hastened, Its sound wafted to Heaven in order to dwell there. To be sure, upon earth it faded away for every ear; Along with its daughter, Love, reverence is Now stirred in hearts only by a choir Of [tones,]2 dreams that come from Heaven And that no light of day may carry off.3
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Translations of title(s):
"Die Harfe der Gottgeliebten" = "The harp of those whom God loves"
"Die Harfe hat des Gottgeliebten" = "The harp [was once plucked by the hand] of one whom God loves"
"Die Harfe" = "The harp"
2 Végh: "sounds and"
3 Végh adds: "that no light of day carries off!"
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2019 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 Adolf Böttger (1815 - 1870), "Die Harfe hat des Gottgeliebten", appears in Hebräische Melodien, no. 2, first published 1841
Based on:
- a text in English by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788 - 1824), "The harp the monarch minstrel swept", appears in Hebrew Melodies, no. 2, first published 1815
This text was added to the website: 2019-03-02
Line count: 20
Word count: 172