possibly by Anonymous / Unidentified Author and possibly by W. Wagner
Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Die Sänger
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Available translation(s): ENG
  Und nahet der Lenz, so erklingen im Wald
Der Vöglein erwachende Lieder.
Doch fallen die Blätter, und wird es kalt,
So schweigen und ziehen sie wieder. --
Wir lernten vom Vöglein das Singen nur, 
Das Schweigen wollt' nie uns gelingen; 
Ob Blumen uns duften, ob ruhet die Flur,
Es schwellet die Brust, und wir singen. 

  Wir rühmen und preisen im Lobgesang
Den Schöpfer und Vater der Welten,
Auch soll uns'res Liedes erhebender Klang 
Dir, Vaterland, immerdar gelten; 
Wir singen der Liebe beseelender Kraft, 
Der Freundschaft beglückendem Streben, 
Wir singen dem perlenden Rebensaft, 
Der sprühet, voll Feuer und Leben.

  Es quellen die Lieder so fröhlich und frei 
Aus der Seele tiefinnerstem Grunde; 
Ihr Freunde des Sanges, kommt Alle herbei, 
Wir sind mit dem Frohsinn im Bunde.
-- Ob Wonnegefühl Euch bewege das Herz, 
Ob trübe Gedanken Euch drängen,
Es löset die Freude, es löset der Schmerz
Sich auf in harmonischen Klängen.

Found in Deutsche Männer-Gesangs-Zeitung, Jahrgang 2, Nr. 7 (Berlin, October 1861), page 43. The text was sent to this journal by W. Wagner, a merchant from Neubrandenburg. He expressed the hope that it would inspire composers to set it for male singers. He may have written the text himself, or he may simply have sent in a text he came across elsewhere.


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):

  • ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "The singers", copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

Text added to the website: 2020-01-11 00:00:00
Last modified: 2020-01-13 14:43:12
Line count: 24
Word count: 149

The singers
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
  And when springtime nears, in the forest there sound
The wakening songs of the birdlets.
But when the leaves fall and it grows cold,
Then they fall silent and depart once more. --
We learned only singing from the birdlet,
We were never successful at falling silent;
Whether flowers scent the air for us, whether the meadow is at rest,
Our bosom swells and we sing.

  In anthems we extol and laud 
The Creator and Father of the worlds,
And the uplifting sound of our song shall also
Be aimed at you, homeland, forevermore;
With sing to the animating power of love,
To the exhilarating striving of friendship,
We sing to the pearling juice of the vine,
Which sparkles full of fire and life.

  Songs spring forth so merrily and freely
From the deepest depths of our soul;
Ye friends of singing, come hither all,
We are united in a bond with exhilaration.
-- Whether feelings of bliss move your heart,
Whether dreary thoughts oppress you,
Happiness, pain all are dispersed
In harmonious sounds.

Authorship

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2020 by Sharon Krebs, (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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Text added to the website: 2020-01-13 00:00:00
Last modified: 2020-01-13 11:52:42
Line count: 24
Word count: 173