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Im Schnee begraben starret Die trauernde Natur; Kein muntrer Vogel harret, Auf der verwais'ten Flur; Gefroren sind die Teiche, Entblättert die Gesträuche, Und rings umher die Welt ein Grab. [Aber nur ich, ich]1 harre Vor deiner öden Thür: Auf ländlicher [Quitarre]2 Sing ich ein Lied von dir; Seh' mit [gelass'ner]3 Seele, Aus [Äols schwärz'ster Höhle]4 Den Nordwind stürzen, der mir droht. O der ist nicht der Küsse Der Götterlippe werth, Der nicht für dich, du Süße, Gefahr und Schmerz begehrt: Nicht, [Trotz]5 der schwersten Bürde, Gelassen lächeln würde, Wenn ihm dein Bild vor Augen schwebt! Doch gütigste Themire, Sanft, wie der jüngste West, [Eröffne mir die]6 Thüre, Eh' mich mein Geist verläßt! Schon starren meine Glieder; Bald sink' ich kraftlos nieder, Und schlumm're hin, in ew'ge Nacht. Mit meinen letzten Blicken Würd' ich nach dir [noch]7 seh'n: Noch nennte mit Entzücken Mein letzter Hauch dich schön! Doch dieser Lohn der Treue, Er würde später Reue, Zu später Wehemuth Mutter seyn.
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with A.G. Meißners sämmtliche Werke, Fünfter Band, Gedichte, Dritter Theil, Wien: in Commission bey Anton Doll, 1813, pages 165-166.
1 Neefe: "Nur ich, ach! ich nur"2 Neefe: "Guitarre"
3 Neefe: "gelaßner"
4 Neefe: "Aeols schwärzter Höle"
5 Neefe: "trotz"
6 Neefe: "Eröfne deine" [sic]
7 Neefe: "nur"
Text Authorship:
- by August Gottlieb Meißner (1753 - 1807), "Serenade", subtitle: "Im December 1775 angestimmt", written 1775 [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 Christian Gottlob Neefe (1748 - 1798), "Fünfte Serenate", published 1777 [ voice and piano ], from Serenaten beym Klavier zu singen, no. 5, Leipzig: Zu finden in der Dykischen Buchhandlung [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , subtitle: "Struck up in December 1775", 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: 2010-06-25
Line count: 35
Word count: 167
Buried in snow Mourning nature stiffens; No merry bird abides Upon the desolate lea; The ponds are frozen, The bushes defoliated, And all around the world is a grave. [But only I, I]1 abide Before your desolate door: Upon a pastoral guitar I sing a song of you; With an impassive soul I see The north-wind, which threatens me, surging forth From Aeolus’s blackest cave. Oh not worthy of kisses From your divine lips Is he, you sweet one, who does not Desire danger and pain for your sake: [Who] would not unperturbedly [smile Defiance upon]2 the heaviest burden, When your image hovers before his eyes! But most gracious Themire, Gentle as the youngest west wind, Open [the door to me]3 Before my spirit departs! My limbs already grow stiff; Soon I shall sink feebly down, And slumber away into eternal night. With my last glances I would [still look]4 toward you: With rapture, my last breath would Yet call you beautiful! But this recompense for faithfulness Would afterwards turn into remorse, Would be the mother of future melancholy.
Subtitle: "Struck up in December 1775"
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Translations of title(s):
Fünfte Serenate" = Fifth serenade
Serenade = Serenade
2 Neefe: "smile, / Despite"
3 Neefe: "your door"
4 Neefe: "look only"
Text 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.
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by August Gottlieb Meißner (1753 - 1807), "Serenade", subtitle: "Im December 1775 angestimmt", written 1775
This text was added to the website: 2019-04-08
Line count: 35
Word count: 183