by
Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
Die Minnesänger
Language: German (Deutsch)
Our translations: CAT DUT ENG FRE POR
Zu dem Wettgesange schreiten
Minnesänger jetzt herbei;
Ei, das gibt ein seltsam Streiten,
Ein gar seltsames Turnei!
Phantasie, die schäumend wilde,
Ist des Minnesängers Pferd,
Und die Kunst dient ihm zum Schilde,
Und das Wort, das ist sein Schwert.
Hübsche Damen schauen munter
Vom beteppichten Balkon,
Doch die rechte ist nicht drunter
Mit der rechten Lorbeerkron'.
Andre Leute, wenn sie springen
In die Schranken, sind gesund;
Doch wir Minnesänger bringen
Dort schon mit die Todeswund'.
Und wem dort am besten dringet
Liederblut aus Herzensgrund,
Der ist Sieger, der erringet
Bestes Lob aus schönstem Mund.
Available sung texts: (what is this?)
• R. Schumann R. Schumann sets stanzas 1-4
Text Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Els trobadors", copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "De minnezangers", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Ryan Bede) , "The Minne-singers", copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Les ménestrels", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- POR Portuguese (Português) (Margarida Moreno) , "Os trovadores", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [
Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 94
The Minne‑singers
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
To the song-contest stride
the Minne-singers now here;
Yea, that is a strange quarrel,
a particularly strange tournament!
Fantasy, the foaming savage,
is the Minne-singers’ horse,
and the art serves him for a shield,
and the word, that is his sword.
Pretty women watch cheerfully
from the carpeted balcony,
yet the right one is not there
with the hallowed crown of laurels.
Other people, when they jump
into the fray, are healthy;
yet we Minne-singers bring there
already with the wounds of death.
And to whom there the best carries song-blood
out of the depths of the heart,
he is the victor, who gains the best praise
out of the most beautiful mouth.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2024 by Ryan Bede, (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:
This text was added to the website: 2024-01-26
Line count: 20
Word count: 113