Sunset | This is the gentle, the holy hour

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by Felix Ludwig Julius Dahn (1834 - 1912)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Sonnenuntergang

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Das ist die sanfte, die heilige Stunde,
  Da die Sonne feierlich scheiden will;
Es bebt kein Blatt in der weiten Runde: --
  Die lauten Lüfte sind alle still. 
Noch einmal grüßt sie mit vollem Strahle,
  Noch einmal küßt sie den Wald, den See: --

Ist's heute zum allerletztenmale?
  Es liegt auf der Flur so tiefes Weh!
Jetzt ist sie versunken: -- da hebt sich ein Rauschen,
  Durch alle Wipfel ein Schauer weht:
Ich glaube, -- könnt' ich dies Flüstern erlauschen! --
  Die Blumen sprechen ihr Nachtgebet.

Confirmed with Gedichte von Felix Dahn, Erster Band, Leipzig: Druck und Verlag von Breitkopf und Härtel, 1898, pages 418-419.

Text Authorship:

by Felix Ludwig Julius Dahn (1834 - 1912), "Sonnenuntergang" [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 Franz Wilhelm Abt (1819 - 1885), "Sonnenuntergang", op. 451 (Sechs Gesänge für dreistimmigen Frauenchor mit Pianoforte), Heft 1 no. 1, published 1875 [ ssa chorus and piano ], Leipzig: C.F.W. Siegel [sung text not yet checked]
by Agathon Billeter (1834 - 1881), "Sonnenuntergang", op. 44 (Drei Gesänge für vierstimmigen Männerchor) no. 3, published 1875 [ four-part men's chorus ], Leipzig, Forberg [sung text not yet checked]
by Franz Paul Lachner (1803 - 1890), "Sonnenuntergang", op. 185 (4 Gesänge für Sopran, Alt Tenor und Bass) no. 1 [ SATB chorus ] [sung text checked 1 time]
by Felix Paul Weingartner (1863 - 1942), "Sonnenuntergang", op. 51 no. 2 (1910), from Abendlieder, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Sunset", copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor] , Harry Joelson

This text was added to the website: 2011-07-08
Line count: 12
Word count: 82

Sunset

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

This is the gentle, the holy hour,
  When the sun wishes to depart ceremoniously;
Not a leaf trembles far and wide: --
  The loud winds are all still.
Once more [the sun] sends a greeting in full radiance,
  Once more [the sun] kisses the forest, the lake: --

Is it for the very last time today?
  Such a deep woe lies upon the meadow!
Now it has set: -- thereupon a soughing arises,
  A shiver wafts through all the treetops:
I believe, -- could I but overhear this whispering! --
  The flowers are speaking their nighttime prayer.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2025 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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Felix Ludwig Julius Dahn (1834 - 1912), "Sonnenuntergang"
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2025-04-28
Line count: 12
Word count: 92