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Läuten kaum die Maienglocken, Leise durch den lauen Wind, Hebt ein Knabe froh erschrocken, Aus dem Grase sich geschwind. Schüttelt in den Blütenflocken, Seine feinen blonden Locken, Schelmisch sinnend wie ein Kind. Und nun wehen Lerchenlieder Und es schlägt die Nachtigall, Von den Bergen rauschend wieder Kommt der kühle Wasserfall. Rings im Walde bunt Gefieder, Frühling, Frühling ist es wieder Und ein Jauchzen überall. Und den Knaben hört man schwirren, Goldne Fäden, zart und lind, Durch die Lüfte künstlich wirren, Und ein süsser Krieg beginnt. Suchen, fliehen, schmachtend irren, Bis sich Alle hold verwirren. O besel'gend Labyrinth!
R. Franz sets stanzas 1-2
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Joseph Karl Benedikt, Freiherr von Eichendorff (1788 - 1857), "Der Schalk", appears in Gedichte, in 4. Frühling und Liebe [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 Otto Dorn (1848 - 1931), "Maienglocken", published 1879 [ voice and piano ], from Lieder und Gesänge für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte, no. 15, Berlin, Weinholtz [sung text not yet checked]
- by Otto Dresel (1826 - 1890), "Der Schalk", 1846, published 1892 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ernst Frank (1847 - 1889), "Der Schalk", op. 1 (Zehn Lieder) no. 8, published 1871 [ voice and piano ], Wien, Gotthard [sung text not yet checked]
- by Robert Franz (1815 - 1892), "Der Schalk", op. 3 (Sechs Gesänge) no. 1, published 1844, stanzas 1-2 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Breitkopf & Härtel [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Fanny Hensel (1805 - 1847), "Maienlied", op. 1 (Sechs Lieder) no. 4 (>>1840), published 1846 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Carl Adolf Lorenz, Dr. (1837 - 1923), "Der Schalk ", op. 15 (Zwei Terzette für drei Frauenstimmen (Solo oder Chor) mit Begleitung des Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1873 [ vocal trio for female voices (or three-part women's chorus) with piano ], Berlin, Trautwein [sung text not yet checked]
- by Heinrich August Marschner (1795 - 1861), "Der Schalk", op. 157 (Vier Duettinen für Sopran und Alt mit Pianoforte) no. 3, published 1852 [ vocal duet for soprano and alto with piano ], Leipzig, Hofmeister [sung text not yet checked]
- by August Reuss (1871 - 1935), "Der Schalk", op. 32 (Vier Terzette) no. 4 [ women's chorus a cappella ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Heinrich von Sahr (1821 - 1874), "Der Schalk", op. 15 (Sechs Lieder für vierstimmigen gemischten Chor) no. 3, published 1886 [ SATB chorus a cappella ], Leipzig, Senff [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ludwig Wilhelm Andreas Maria Thuille (1861 - 1907), "Der Schalk", op. 31 no. 1 (1904) [ vocal trio for 2 sopranos and mezzo-soprano with piano ], from Drei Lieder für drei Frauenstimmen solo nach Gedichten von Joseph von Eichendorff, no. 1, confirmed with a CD booklet [sung text checked 1 time]
- by J. H. W. Werner , "Der Schalk", published 1883 [ voice and piano ], from Sechs Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung, no. 6, Krefeld, Schuckert [sung text not yet checked]
- by Heinrich Zöllner (1854 - 1941), "Der Schalk ", op. 47, published 1890 [ men's chorus ], Leipzig, Siegel [sung text not yet checked]
Set in a modified version by Carl Georg Peter Grädener, Julius Stern, Julius Weismann.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , no title, copyright ©
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 21
Word count: 97
Les cloches de mai sonnent à peine, Doucement, dans la brise légère, Un garçon, surpris et joyeux, D'un bond se lève de la prairie, Secouant dans les pétales des fleurs Ses fins cheveux blonds Avec une malice enfantine. Et maintenant les alouettes volent, Et le rossignol chante, La fraîche cascade des montagnes Se précipite à nouveau, Avec des plumages colorés dans les bois alentour, Le printemps, le printemps est de retour, Avec partout des cris de joie. Et l'on entend le garçon bourdonner, Des fils d'or, délicats et doux, Tourbillonnent avec art dans l'air, Et une douce guerre commence. Tous cherchent, fuient, errent langoureusement, Jusqu'à ce que tous soient doucement enchevêtrés. Ô bienheureux labyrinthe !
About the headline (FAQ)
Translations of titles:
"Der Schalk" = "L'espiègle"
"Maienglocken" = "Cloches de mai"
"Maienlied" = "Chant de mai"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to French (Français) copyright © 2026 by Pierre Mathé, (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 Joseph Karl Benedikt, Freiherr von Eichendorff (1788 - 1857), "Der Schalk", appears in Gedichte, in 4. Frühling und Liebe
This text was added to the website: 2026-05-01
Line count: 21
Word count: 114