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Das [Fischergewerbe]1 [Giebt]2 rüstigen Muth! Wir haben zum Erbe Die Güter der Fluth. Wir graben nicht Schätze, Wir pflügen kein Feld; Wir erndten im Netze, Wir angeln uns Geld. Wir heben die Reusen Den Schilfbach entlang, Und ruhn bei den Schleusen, Zu sondern den Fang. Goldweiden beschatten Das moosige Dach; Wir schlummern auf Matten Im kühlen Gemach. Mit rothen Korallen Prangt Spiegel und Wand, Den Estrich der Hallen Deckt silberner Sand. Das Gärtchen daneben Grünt ländlich umzäunt Von kreutzenden Stäben Mit Baste vereint. Im Antlitz der Buben Lacht muthiger Sinn; Sie meiden die Stuben Bei Tagesbeginn; Sie tauchen und schwimmen Im eisigen See, Und barfuß erklimmen Sie Klippen voll Schnee. Die Töchter [ergötzen]3 Sich Abends bei Licht, [Wann]4 alles an Netzen Und Maschenwerk flicht. Oft wird mit Gelächter Durchmustert das Dorf; Die Mutter, als Wächter, Schürt nickend den Torf. Oft rudern wir ferne Im wiegenden Kahn; Dann blinken die Sterne So freundlich uns an; Der Mond [aus]5 den Höhen, Der Mond [aus]5 dem Bach, So schnell wir entflöhen, Sie gleiten uns nach. Wir trotzen dem Wetter, Das finster uns droht, [Wann]4 schöpfende Bretter Kaum hemmen den Tod. Wir trotzen auch Wogen Auf krachendem Schiff, In Tiefen gezogen, Geschleudert ans Riff! Der Herr, der in Stürmen Der Mitternacht blitzt, Vermag uns zu schirmen, Und kennt, was uns nützt. Gleich unter dem Flügel Des Ewigen ruht Der [Rasengruft Hügel]6, Das Grab in der Fluth.
C. Loewe sets stanzas 1, 3, 6
F. Schubert sets stanzas 1-2 in (at least) one setting - see below for more information
J. Lang sets stanzas 1, 3, 6
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Gedichte von J.G. von Salis. Neue Auflage. Zürich, bey Orell Füßli und Compagnie. 1808, pages 59-62; with Gedichte von J. G. von Salis. Gesammelt durch seinen Freund Friedrich Matthisson. Zürich, bey Orell, Gessner, Füssli und Compagnie. 1793, pages 71-74; and with Gedichte von J. G. von Salis. Neueste Auflage. Wien 1815. Bey B. Ph. Bauer, pages 54-56.
First published in Musen-Almanach für 1792. Herausgegeben von Joh. Heinr. Voß. Hamburg, bey C. E. Bohn, pages 96-99.
1 Lang: "Fischer Gewerbe"2 Lang: "bringt"
3 Salis (1792 and Wien 1815 edition), and Schubert: "ergetzen"
4 Salis (Wien 1815 edition), and Schubert: "Wenn"
5 Salis (1792 and 1793 editions), and Lang: "auf"
6 Salis (1792 edition): "Rasengrufthügel"
Note: Schubert (in his first setting, D. 351) terminates each stanza with the refrain "Tra la la la la la, tra la la la la".
Text Authorship:
- by Johann Gaudenz Freiherr von Salis-Seewis (1762 - 1834), "Fischerlied", written 1791, first published 1792 [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 Josephine Lang (1815 - 1880), "Fischer Chor", stanzas 1,3,6 [ men's chorus ], unpublished, undated [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Carl Loewe (1796 - 1869), "Das Fischergewerbe", <<1826, published 1826, stanzas 1,3,6 [ voice and piano ], note: According to the edition Das Loewesche Lied (Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, [no year],page 111), the piano accompaniment to this song was composed by F. H. Schneider [sung text checked 2 times]
- by Georg Wilhelm Rauchenecker (1844 - 1906), "Fischerlied", 1878, published 1878 [ mixed chorus a cappella ], from 6 Lieder für gemischten Chor, no. 4 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Vincenzo Righini (1756 - 1812), "Fischerlied", published [1804] [ voice and piano ], from Sammlung deutscher und italienischer Gesänge mit Begleitung des Pianoforte, Heft III, no. 2, Leipzig: Bei C. F. Peters (Bureau de Musique.) [sung text not yet checked]
- by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Fischerlied", D 351 (1816?), published 1895 [ voice, piano ], first setting [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Fischerlied", D 364 (1816?), published 1897, stanzas 1-2 [ ttbb quartet ], second setting [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Fischerlied", D 562 (1817), published 1895 [ voice, piano ], third setting [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Visserslied", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , copyright ©
- ENG English (Malcolm Wren) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "L'activité du pêcheur", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Richard Morris , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2003-10-13
Line count: 64
Word count: 232
The fisherman's trade Gives one sprightly courage! We have as our inheritance The goods of the tide. We dig not for treasure, We plough no fields; We harvest with nets, We fish for our gold. We lift the rushes Along the reedbank. And rest by the sluicegates To sort out the day's catch. Golden willows shade The mossy roof, We slumber on mats In the cool room. With red corals Sparkle the mirror and the wall. The plaster of the halls Is covered with silver sand. The little garden nearby Sprouts wildly, enclosed By crossed staffs Joined with bast. In the countenance of the little scamps Smiles cheerful sense. They leave the parlour By daybreak; They dive and swim In the icy sea, And barefoot they climb The rocks of snow. Often we row far In the rocking boat; Then the stars gaze With such friendliness at us; The moon from the heights, The moon from the brook, As quickly as we escape, They glide after us. We defy the weather, The darkness threatens us, When the water-paddles Can hardly hinder Death. We also defy the waves, From the noisy ship, Pulling through the depths, Hurled toward the reef! The Lord, who flashes In midnight storms, Might protect us, And knows what we need. Under the wings Of eternity rest equally The grassy hill-crypt And the grave in the flood.
About the headline (FAQ)
"Das Fischergewerbe" - "The fisherman's trade"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Emily Ezust
Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:
Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
from the LiederNet Archive -- https://www.lieder.net/For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Johann Gaudenz Freiherr von Salis-Seewis (1762 - 1834), "Fischerlied", written 1791, first published 1792
This text was added to the website: 2003-10-13
Line count: 56
Word count: 230