I asked the heaven of stars What I should give my love -- It answered me with silence, Silence above. I asked the darkened sea Down where the fishers go -- It answered me with silence, Silence below. Oh, I could give him weeping, Or I could give him song -- But how can I give silence My whole life long?
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Sara Teasdale (1884 - 1933), "Night Song at Amalfi", appears in Rivers to the Sea, in Vignettes Overseas, no. 5, first published 1915 [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 Alice Barnett (1886 - 1975), "Night Song at Amalfi", published 1919 [ high voice, piano ], from Four Songs [sung text not yet checked]
- by Amy Marcy Cheney Beach (1867 - 1944), "Night Song at Amalfi", op. 78 (Three Songs) no. 2, published 1917 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by John Woods Duke (1899 - 1984), "Night Song at Amalfi", 1982 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Harry Alexander Matthews (1879 - 1973), "Night Song at Amalfi", published 1950 [ voice, piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Harry Alexander Matthews (1879 - 1973), "Night Song at Amalfi", published 1949 [ SSA chorus and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Charles Naginski (1909 - 1940), "Night Song at Amalfi", published 1942 [ medium voice and piano ], from Four songs [sung text not yet checked]
- by Rick Sowash (b. 1950), "Unrequited Love: "Night Song at Amalfi"" [ voice and piano ], from Three Love Songs on Poems by Sarah Teasdale, no. 2, from Teasdale Songs for mezzo-soprano and piano, no. 4 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Wintter Haynes Watts (1884 - 1962), "Night Song at Amalfi", published 1919 [ high voice, piano ], from Vignettes Overseas, no. 4 [sung text not yet checked]
- by David H. Williams (b. 1919), "Night Song" [ TB chorus ], partsong [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Georg von der Vring (1889 - 1968) , "Nachts bei Amalfi", appears in Englisch Horn: Anthologie angelsächsischer Lyrik von den Anfängen bis zur Gegenwart ; composed by Harald Genzmer.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2004-05-07
Line count: 12
Word count: 58
Ich frug hinauf in die Sterne, Was ich dem Liebsten soll schenken, Sie sandten als Antwort Schweigen, Ihr Schweigen herab. Ich frug die verdunkelte See, Fern, wo die Segel ziehn fort -- Sie schickte als Antwort Schweigen, Ihr Schweigen von dort. O dürfte ich Tränen ihm bringen, Oder ihm senden Gesang -- Wie kann ich Schweigen verschenken Mein ganzes Leben lang?
Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.
Confirmed with Georg von der Vring, Englisch Horn: Anthologie angelsächsischer Lyrik von den Anfängen bis zur Gegenwart, Köln: Kiepenheuer & Witsch, 1953, page 212.
Text Authorship:
- by Georg von der Vring (1889 - 1968), "Nachts bei Amalfi", appears in Englisch Horn: Anthologie angelsächsischer Lyrik von den Anfängen bis zur Gegenwart [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by Sara Teasdale (1884 - 1933), "Night Song at Amalfi", appears in Rivers to the Sea, in Vignettes Overseas, no. 5, first published 1915
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Harald Genzmer (1909 - 2007), "Nachts bei Amalfi", 1990 [ soprano and piano ], from Sechs Lieder nach angelsächsischen Dichtern, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this page: Melanie Trumbull
This text was added to the website: 2021-08-26
Line count: 14
Word count: 59