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Was stehst du bange Und sinnest nach? Ach! schon so lange Ist Liebe wach. Hörst du das Klingen Allüberall? Die Vöglein singen Mit süßem Schall. Aus Starrem sprießet Baumblättlein weich, Das Leben fließet Um Ast und Zweig. Das Tröpflein schlüpfet Aus Waldesschacht, Das Bächlein hüpfet Mit Wallungsmacht. Der Himmel neiget In's Wellenklar, Die Bläue zeiget Sich wunderbar. Ein heit'res [Schmiegen]1 Zu Form und Klang, Ein ew'ges Fügen Im ew'gen Drang! Was stehst du bange Und sinnest nach? Ach! schon so lange Ist Liebe wach.
First published in Morgenblatt für gebildete leser, July 1837. Note: in many editions of the Spohr setting, the typo "lange" appears in the first line instead of "bange" but not in the final stanza. This is corrected in the Dohr edition. Folker Göthel writes about this mistake in Thematisch-Bibliographies Verzeichnis der Werke von Louis Spohr, Tutzing/Germany, 1981, p. 506 (with thanks to Michael Leinert for the information). The word "lange" is not in the original poem.
1 Spohr: "Schwingen"Text Authorship:
- by Rudolf Kulemann (1811 - 1899), "Wach auf!", first published 1837 [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 Louis [Ludwig] Spohr (1784 - 1859), "Wach auf!", op. 103 no. 6 [ voice, clarinet, and piano ], from Sechs deutsche Lieder für eine Singstimme, Klarinette und Klavier, no. 6 [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Desperta!", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Word wakker!", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Ruth Rainero) , "Awaken!", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Réveille-toi !", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , "Svegliati!", copyright © 2005, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- POR Portuguese (Português) (Elke Beatriz Riedel) , "Acorde!", 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: 28
Word count: 85
Why do you stand there brooding with fear? Ah, so long does love stay awake! Do you hear the ringing all around? The birds are singing with such sweet sounds. Soft leaves are sprouting from the rigid branches, Life is flowing through bough and twig. Little drops are gliding from the forest hollows, The brook leaps with abundant strength. The heavens bow towards the clear waves, The blueness is wondrously revealed, A bright flourish of shape and sound, An endless yielding to endless impulse. Why do you stand there brooding [with fear]1? Ah, so long does love stay awake!
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Ruth Rainero, (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 Rudolf Kulemann (1811 - 1899), "Wach auf!", first published 1837
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 28
Word count: 100