by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
Translation by Emma Lazarus (1849 - 1887)
Herangedämmert kam der Abend
Language: German (Deutsch)
Our translations: FRE
Herangedämmert kam der Abend, Wilder toste die Flut, Und ich saß am Strand, und schaute zu Dem weißen Tanz der Wellen, Und meine Brust schwoll auf wie das Meer, Und sehnend ergriff mich ein tiefes Heimweh Nach dir, du holdes Bild, Das überall mich umschwebt, Und überall mich ruft, Überall, überall, Im Sausen des Windes, im Brausen des Meers, Und im Seufzen der eigenen Brust. Mit leichtem Rohr schrieb ich in den Sand: «Agnes, ich liebe Dich!» Doch böse Wellen ergossen sich Über das süße Bekenntnis, Und löschten es aus. Zerbrechliches Rohr, zerstiebender Sand, Zerfließende Wellen, euch trau ich nicht mehr! Der Himmel wird dunkler, mein Herz wird wilder, Und mit starker Hand, aus Norwegs Wäldern, Reiß ich die höchste Tanne, Und tauche sie ein In des Ätnas glühenden Schlund, und mit solcher Feuergetränkten Riesenfeder Schreib ich an die dunkle Himmelsdecke: «Agnes, ich liebe Dich!» Jedwede Nacht lodert alsdann Dort oben die ewige Flammenschrift, Und alle nachwachsende Enkelgeschlechter Lesen jauchzend die Himmelsworte: «Agnes, ich liebe Dich!»
L. de Coppet sets stanza 1
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), "Erklärung", appears in Buch der Lieder, in Die Nordsee, in Erster Zyklus, no. 6 [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 Willis Bridegam , "Erklärung", 2005 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Louis C. de Coppet , "Herangedämmert kam der Abend", published 18-?, stanza 1, from Sieben Lieder, no. 3, also set in French (Français) [sung text not yet checked]
- by Carl Krill (1847 - 1927), "Erklärung", op. 10, published 1879 [ low voice and piano ], Berlin, Luckhardt [sung text not yet checked]
- by A. J. Muck , "Bekenntnis", published 1860 [ tenor and piano ], Leipzig, Breitkopf und Härtel [sung text not yet checked]
- by Carl, Graf Nostitz , "Erklärung", published 1892 [ voice and piano ], from Zwölf Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung, no. 5, Prag, Hoffmann's Wwe. [sung text not yet checked]
- by Alexander Ritter (1833 - 1896), "Erklärung", op. 12 (Drei Gedichte für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebleitung) no. 2, published 1886 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Kistner [sung text not yet checked]
- by Josef Scheu (1841 - 1904), "Erklärung", published 1879 [ tenor and piano ], from Lieder und Gesänge für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte. I. Heft, no. 3, Wien, Buchholz & Diebel Sort [sung text not yet checked]
- by Stella Stovkis , "Herangedämmert kam der Abend", published 18-? [sung text not yet checked]
- by Władysław Tarnowski, Count (1836 - 1878), "Erklärung", from Lieder, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Julius Weiss (1814 - 1898), "Erklärung", op. 1 [ bass and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in French (Français), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Louis C. de Coppet.
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Emma Lazarus) , "Declaration", appears in Poems and Ballads of Heinrich Heine, first published 1881
- ENG English (Charles Godfrey Leland) , appears in The works of Heinrich Heine, first published 1900
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Déclaration", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2008-05-06
Line count: 32
Word count: 166
Declaration
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
Shadowing downward came dusky evening,
Wildly the breakers rolled,
I sat alone upon the shore and gazed
At the white dance of the waves.
And my bosom heaved with the sea,
A deep homesickness yearningly seized my heart
For thee, oh lovely image
Who surround'st me everywhere,
Who call'st to me everywhere,
Everywhere, everywhere,
In the rushing of the wind, in the dashing of the sea,
And in the sighing of mine own breast.
Oh brittle reed! oh swiftly-scattered sand!
Oh flowing waves, I trust you no more!
The heavens grow darker, my heart beats more wildly,
And with a mighty hand, from the Norwegian woods,
I snatch the loftiest fir,
And I plunge it
Into Etna's glowing gulf;
And, with such a fire-steeped giant's pen,
I write on the dusky canopy of heaven,
"Agnes, I love thee!"
Each night hereafter overhead shall blaze
Those eternal letters of flame.
And all future generations of our descendants
Shall joyously read the celestial sign,
"Agnes, I love thee!"
Text Authorship:
- by Emma Lazarus (1849 - 1887), "Declaration", appears in Poems and Ballads of Heinrich Heine, first published 1881 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), "Erklärung", appears in Buch der Lieder, in Die Nordsee, in Erster Zyklus, no. 6
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: 2008-05-06
Line count: 27
Word count: 167