Ich steh auf des Berges Spitze, Und werde sentimental. «Wenn ich ein Vöglein wäre!» Seufz ich vieltausendmal. Wenn ich eine Schwalbe wäre, So flög ich zu dir, mein Kind, Und baute mir mein Nestchen, Wo deine Fenster sind. Wenn ich eine Nachtigall wäre, So flög ich zu dir, mein Kind, Und sänge dir Nachts meine Lieder Herab von der grünen Lind'. Wenn ich ein Gimpel wäre, So flög ich gleich an dein Herz; Du bist ja hold den Gimpeln, Und heilest Gimpelschmerz.
Confirmed with Heinrich Heine, Buch der Lieder, Hoffmann und Campe, Hamburg, 1827, page 157.
Authorship:
- by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), appears in Buch der Lieder, in Lyrisches Intermezzo, no. 53 [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 Don Forsythe (1932 - 2015), "Ich steh' auf des Berges Spitze", published c2004-5 [ low voice and piano ], from Eine Dichtererzählung - Herbstzyklus, no. 9 [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in English, a translation by Theodore Martin, Sir, KCB KCVO (1816 - 1909) ; composed by Herbert Bedford.
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Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Iain Sneddon) , "I stand on the mountaintop", copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Charles Beltjens) , no title, appears in Intermezzo lyrique, no. 53, first published 1827
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Pierre Mathé [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2008-04-03
Line count: 16
Word count: 82
Du coteau j'ai gravi le faîte; Là, comme un tendre damoiseau, Plein de sentiment, je répète : » Ah! si j'étais petit oiseau! « Vers toi, si j'étais hirondelle, Je m'envolerais, triomphant, Et je me nicherais, fidèle, Sous ta fenêtre, ô chère enfant. Dans le vert tilleul qui l'ombrage. Rossignol je me cacherais; Toute la nuit de mon ramage, Chère enfant, je te charmerais Perroquet, sur ton cœur volage. J'irais percher; -- de ces hâbleurs Il aime tant le bavardage. Et guérit si bien les douleurs.
About the headline (FAQ)
Authorship:
- by Charles Beltjens (1832 - 1890), no title, appears in Intermezzo lyrique, no. 53, first published 1827 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), appears in Buch der Lieder, in Lyrisches Intermezzo, no. 53
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2008-04-03
Line count: 16
Word count: 85