Attention! Some of this material is not in the public domain.
It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.
To inquire about permissions and rates, contact Emily Ezust at
If you wish to reprint translations, please make sure you include the names of the translators in your email. They are below each translation.
Note: You must use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.
Bunt sind schon die Wälder; Gelb die Stoppelfelder, Und der Herbst beginnt. Rothe Blätter fallen, Graue Nebel wallen, Kühler weht der Wind. Wie die volle Traube, Aus [dem]1 Rebenlaube, Purpurfarbig strahlt; Am Geländer reifen Pfirsiche mit Streifen Roth und weiß bemahlt. Sieh! Wie hier die Dirne Emsig Pflaum' und Birne In ihr Körbchen legt; Dort, mit leichten Schritten, [Jene, goldne]2 Quitten In den Landhof trägt! Flinke Träger springen, Und die Mädchen singen, Alles jubelt froh! Bunte Bänder schweben, Zwischen hohen Reben, Auf dem Hut von Stroh! Geige tönt und Flöte Bei der Abendröthe Und im [Mondenglanz]3; Junge Winzerinnen Winken und beginnen Deutschen Ringeltanz.
J. Lang sets stanza 1
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Gedichte von J.G. von Salis. Neue Auflage. Zürich, bey Orell Füßli und Compagnie. 1808, pages 3-4; with Gedichte von J. G. von Salis. Gesammelt durch seinen Freund Friedrich Matthisson. Zürich, bey Orell, Gessner, Füssli und Compagnie. 1793, pages 53-54; and with Gedichte von J. G. von Salis. Neueste Auflage. Wien 1815. Bey B. Ph. Bauer, pages 3-4.
First published in a rather different version with 7 stanzas in Hamburger Musenalmanach 1786, see below.
1 Schubert: "der"2 Schubert (Neue Gesamtausgabe): "Jene goldnen"
3 Schubert, and later Salis prints (1863, 1893): "Morgenglanz"
Authorship:
- by Johann Gaudenz Freiherr von Salis-Seewis (1762 - 1834), "Herbstlied", written 1782, first published 1786 [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 Josephine Lang (1815 - 1880), "Coro. Herbstlied", stanza 1 [ men's chorus ], unpublished, undated [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Hans Georg Nägeli (1773 - 1836), "Herbstlied" [ voice and piano ], sketch [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hans Georg Nägeli (1773 - 1836), "Herbstlied", published c1810 [ vocal duet, unaccompanied ], in XXX zweistimmige Gesänge, erster Sammlung, song no. 20, page 22, Zürich: Nägeli [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Herbstlied", D 502 (1816), published 1872 [sung text checked 1 time]
Set in a modified version by Philipp Gretscher.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Herfstlied", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English [singable] (Walter A. Aue) , "Autumn song", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Chant d'automne", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this text: Richard Morris , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 30
Word count: 103
Woods turned red and sallow, fields of stubble yellow, and the fall begins. Crimson leaves are drifting, greyish fogs are shifting, cooler blow the winds. Grapes in fullest cluster flaunt their purple luster through the vine-leaves bright. On the trellice growing peaches' stripes are showing painted red and white. See the busy maiden with her basket laden full of plum and pear! Girls, light and merry golden quinces carry to the farmhouse there. Agile porters springing and the servants singing, all abuzz with glee. Colored ribbons prancing through the vines a-dancing from the straw-hat free. Fiddle and recorder sound at twilight's border in the moonlight's glance. Vintagers are spinning round and round, beginning German harvest dance.
Authorship:
- Singable translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2008 by Walter A. Aue, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you must ask the copyright-holder(s) directly for permission. If you receive no response, you must consider it a refusal.
Walter A. Aue. Contact: waue (AT) dal (DOT) ca
If you wish to commission a new translation, please contact:
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Johann Gaudenz Freiherr von Salis-Seewis (1762 - 1834), "Herbstlied", written 1782, first published 1786
This text was added to the website: 2008-06-01
Line count: 30
Word count: 116