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by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926)

O Brunnen‑Mund, du gebender, du Mund
Language: German (Deutsch) 
O Brunnen-Mund, du gebender, du Mund,
der unerschöpflich Eines, Reines, spricht, —
du, vor des Wassers fließendem Gesicht,
marmorne Maske. Und im Hintergrund

der Aquädukte Herkunft. Weither an
Gräbern vorbei, vom Hang des Apennins
tragen sie dir dein Sagen zu, das dann
am schwarzen Altern deines Kinns

vorüberfällt in das Gefäß davor.
Dies ist das schlafend hingelegte Ohr,
das Marmorohr, in das du immer sprichst.

Ein Ohr der Erde. Nur mit sich allein
redet sie also. Schiebt ein Krug sich ein,
so scheint es ihr, daß du sie unterbrichst.

About the headline (FAQ)

Text Authorship:

  • by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926), no title, appears in Die Sonette an Orpheus 2, no. 15 [author's text checked 1 time 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 Juan Allende-Blin (b. 1928), "O Brunnen-Mund", 1951, first performed 1963 [ soprano and piano ], from Drei Rilke-Lieder für Sopran und Klavier, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Werner Wolf Glaser (1913 - 2006), "O Brunnen-Mund", 1934 [ soprano and piano ], from 4 Rilke-Lieder, no. 3, Svensk Musik [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Walter Klopsch , "O Brunnen-Mund, du gebender", 1940-1960 [ voice and piano ], from 4 Lieder, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Gabriel Marcel (1889 - 1973), "Sonnet à Orphée", 1945-1946 [ voice and piano ], from Mélodies. Cahiers 3, no. 10 [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Jörg-Peter Mittmann (b. 1962), "Vor des Wassers fließendem Gesicht" [ chorus and instrumental ensemble ] [sung text not yet checked]

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2023-08-01
Line count: 14
Word count: 89

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