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by Thomas Moore (1779 - 1852)
Translation by Oskar Falke (1827 - 1883)

The Legacy 
Language: English 
When in death I shall calm recline, 
O bear my heart to my mistress dear;   
Tell her it lived upon smiles, and wine
Of the brightest hue, while it linger'd here; 
Bid her not shed one tear of sorrow 
To sully a heart so brilliant and light, 
But balmy drops of the red grape borrow, 
To bathe the relic from morning to night. 

When the light of my song is o'er, 
Then take my harp to your ancient hall; 
Hang it up at the friendly door 
Where weary travellers love to call; 
Then if some bard, who roams forsaken,
Revive its soft note in passing along, 
Oh!  let one thought of its master waken 
Your warmest smile for the child of song. 

Keep this cup, which is now o'erflowing, 
To grace your revel when I'm at rest;
Never, oh never, its balm bestowing 
On lips that beauty hath seldom blest! 
But when some warm devoted lover 
To her he adores shall bathe its brim, 
Oh!  then my spirit around shall hover, 
And hallow each drop that foams for him.

Confirmed with Thomas Moore, Melodies, Songs, Sacred Songs, and National Airs, now first collected and arranged, and containing many never before published, New York: W. B. Gilley, 1825, page 27. Appears in Irish Melodies.


Text Authorship:

  • by Thomas Moore (1779 - 1852), "The Legacy ", appears in Irish Melodies [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):

    [ None yet in the database ]

Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:

  • Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Oskar Falke (1827 - 1883) , "Vermächtnis", appears in Irische Melodien von Thomas Moore ; composed by Gustav Bergmann.
    • Go to the text.

Researcher for this page: Melanie Trumbull

This text was added to the website: 2021-01-15
Line count: 24
Word count: 179

Vermächtnis
Language: German (Deutsch)  after the English 
Wenn Tod mich übermannt, dann tragt 
Mein Herz zu ihr, die mir gewogen 
In süßer Liebe war und sagt, 
Daß stets von Lust es war umflogen; 
Laßt sie mit Thränen nicht begießen 
Mein Herz, so rein und voller Pracht, 
Doch auf das Grab laßt Wein mir fließen, 
Vom Morgen bis zur späten Nacht.  

Wenn stumm ist meiner Lieder Chor, 
Dann tragt die Harfe in die Hallen, 
Und hängt sie auf an jenem Thor, 
Zu dem der Wandrer pflegt zu wallen; 
Und wenn dann in Vorübergehen 
Eine Barde in die Saiten greift: 
Dann mag der schönste Ton erstehen, 
Der je im Busen mir gereift. 

Nehmt diesen goldenen Pokal 
Und trinkt, wenn ihr dem Weingott fröhnet, 
Und nie berühre ihn zumal 
Ein Mund, der Schönheit je verhöhnet; 
Doch wenn ein Liebender den Becher 
Ergreift, und stille weint hinein: 
Dann ist mein Geist bei euch, ihr Zecher,   
Und segnet jeden Tropfen Wein!  

Confirmed with Oskar Falke, Irische Melodien von Thomas Moore, Leipzig: Philipp Reclam jun., 1875, pages 41 - 42.


Text Authorship:

  • by Oskar Falke (1827 - 1883), "Vermächtnis", appears in Irische Melodien von Thomas Moore [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

Based on:

  • a text in English by Thomas Moore (1779 - 1852), "The Legacy ", appears in Irish Melodies
    • Go to the text page.

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

  • by Gustav Bergmann (1837 - 1892), "Vermächtnis", op. 31 (Acht kleine Lieder) no. 8, published 1880 [ TTBB chorus ], Zürich, Hug [sung text not yet checked]

Researcher for this page: Melanie Trumbull

This text was added to the website: 2021-01-15
Line count: 24
Word count: 149

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