Der [Dämmrung]1 Schein
      [Durchblinkt]2 den Hain;
Hier, beim [Geräusch]3 des Wasserfalles,
Denk' ich nur dich, o du mein Alles!
 
      Dein Zauberbild
      Erscheint, so mild
Wie [Hesperus]4 im Abendgolde,
Dem fernen Freund, geliebte Holde!
 
      Er sehnt wie hier
      Sich stets nach dir;
Fest, wie den Stamm die [Eppichranke,]5
Umschlingt Dich liebend sein Gedanke.
 
      Durchbebt dich auch
      Im Abendhauch
Des Brudergeistes leises [Wehen]6
Mit Vorgefühl vom [Wiedersehen]7?
 
      Er ists, der lind
      Dir, süßes Kind,
Des Schleiers Silbernebel kräuselt,
Und in der Locken Fülle säuselt.
 
      Oft hörst du ihn,
      Wie Melodien
Der Wehmuth aus gedämpften Saiten,
In stiller Nacht vorübergleiten.
 
      Auch fesselfrei
      Wird er getreu,
Dir ganz und einzig hingegeben,
In allen Welten dich umschweben.

J. Lang sets stanzas 1-3

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Gedichte von Friedrich von Matthisson. Erster Theil. Tübingen, bei Cotta, 1811, pages 280-281, and with Gedichte von Friedrich von Matthisson, Fünfzehnte Auflage, Zürich: bei Orell, Füßli und Comp., 1851, pages 221-222.

¹ Lang: "Dämmerung"
² Lang: "Durchblick [sic]"; Lang's early publications are riddled with errors.
³ Matthisson (Haas 1810 edition), and Schubert (but not adopted in the printed editions): "Gesträuch"
⁴ Lang: "Hesper"
⁵ Schubert: "Epheuranke"
⁶ Schubert, Zumsteeg: "Weh'n"
⁷ Schubert, Zumsteeg: "Wiederseh'n"

Authorship:

• by Friedrich von Matthisson (1761 - 1831), "Geisternähe", written 1792-93, appears in In der Fremde (Schweiz und Frankreich) (1787-1794), first published 1799 [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 Ludwig Abeille (1761 - 1838), "Geisternähe" [ voice and piano ], from Lieder und Elegien von F. v. Matthisson für eine Singstimme mit Pianoforte, no. 7, Leipzig, Breitkopf und Härtel [sung text not yet checked]
• by Immanuel Friedrich Knapp (1784 - 1817), "Geisternähe", published 1809, from Sechs Lieder von Goethe und Matthison, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Conradin Kreutzer (1780 - 1849), "Geisternähe", op. 76 (12 Lieder und Romanzen für 1 und 2 Singstimmen mit Pianoforte) no. 7, KWV. 9112 no. 7 [ vocal duet for 2 tenors with piano ], Leipzig, Kistner [sung text not yet checked]
• by Josephine Lang (1815 - 1880), "Geisternähe", op. 6 (Vier deutsche Lieder) no. 4, published <<1838, stanzas 1-3 [ voice and piano ], note: first published in München (Munich) by F. A. Schäffer without an opus number; designated in 1867 as opus 6 [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Geisternähe", D 100 (1814) [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Johann Rudolf Zumsteeg (1760 - 1802), "Geisternähe", published 1801, from Kleine Balladen und Lieder, Heft III, no. 4 [sung text checked 1 time]

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

• CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "La proximitat dels esperits", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Geestesnabijheid", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Near spirits", copyright ©
• ENG English (Sharon Krebs) (Harald Krebs) , "Nearness in spirit", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Proximité des esprits", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , "Vicinanza spirituale", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this text: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 28
Word count: 113

      The gleam of the twilight
      [Sparkles]1 through the grove.
Here, by the rushing of the waterfall,
I think only of you, oh you, my all.
 
      Your magical image appears
      Just as tenderly
As does Hesperus [the evening star] in the evening's gold
To the distant friend, beloved lovely one.
 
      He yearns for you always,
      As he does here;
Tightly as ivy [encircles] a tree trunk,
His thoughts lovingly encircle you.
 
      Does it tremble through you as well
      In the breath of wind at eventide,
The soft wafting of the fraternal spirit
With a premonition of reunion?
 
      It is he who gently,
      Sweet child,
Ruffles the silvery mist of your veil
And soughs in the fullness of your curls.
 
      Often you hear him,
      Like melodies
Of melancholy from muted strings,
Floating past in the quiet night.
 
      Also without fetters
      He shall faithfully,
Consigned utterly and solely to you,
Waft about you in all worlds.