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by Emanuel von Geibel (1815 - 1884)
Translation © by Michael P Rosewall
Ich sah den Wald sich färben
Language: German (Deutsch)
Our translations: ENG
Ich sah den Wald sich färben, Die Luft war grau und stumm; Mir war betrübt zum Sterben, Und wußt' es kaum, warum. Durchs Feld vom Herbstgestäude Hertrieb das dürre Laub; Da dacht' ich: Deine Freude Ward so des Windes Raub. Dein Lenz, der blütenvolle, Dein reicher Sommer schwand; An die gefrorne Scholle Bist du nun festgebannt. Da plötzlich floß ein klares Getön in Lüften hoch: Ein [Wandervogel]1 war es, Der nach dem Süden zog. Ach, wie der Schlag der Schwingen, Das Lied ins Ohr mir kam, Fühlt' ich's wie Trost mir dringen Zum Herzen wundersam. Es mahnt' aus [heller Kehle]2 Mich ja der flücht'ge Gast: Vergiß, o Menschenseele, Nicht, daß du Flügel hast!
H. Schnaubelt sets stanzas 1-2, 4-6
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)1 Schnaubelt: "Wundervogel"
2 Schnaubelt: "hellen Kehlen"
Text Authorship:
- by Emanuel von Geibel (1815 - 1884), no title, appears in Juniuslieder, in Vermischte Gedichte [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 Bertha von Brukenthal (1846 - 1908), "Ich sah den Wald sich färben", op. 2 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by (Adolf) Emil Büchner (1826 - 1908), "Ich sah den Wald sich färben", op. 18 (Fünf Lieder für Mezzo-Sopran (oder Bariton) mit Pianoforte) no. 3, published 1858 [ mezzo-soprano or baritone and piano ], Nürnberg, Schmid [sung text not yet checked]
- by Arnold Gassmann , "Herbstlied", op. 17 (Vier Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 4, published 1883 [ voice and piano ], Zürich, Gassmann [sung text not yet checked]
- by K. Geibel , "Ich sah den Wald sich färben", published 1858 [ medium voice and piano ], from Sechs Lieder von E. Geibel für mittlere Stimme, no. 2, Hamburg, Jowien [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ferdinand von Hiller (1811 - 1885), "Ich sah den Wald sich färben", op. 100 (Neue Gesänge für eine Stimme mit Begleitung des Pianoforte), Heft 1 no. 13, published 1862 [ voice and piano ], Stuttgart: Cotta'scher Verlag [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hans Heinrich XIV, Graf Bolko von Hochberg (1843 - 1926), "Ich sah den Wald sich färben", published [1895] [ voice and piano ], Offenbach am Main, Johann André, in Ausgewählte Lieder [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Carl Isenmann (1839 - 1889), "Ich sah den Wald sich färben", op. 117 (Vier Männerchöre) no. 4, published 1889 [ men's chorus ], Schleusingen, Glaser [sung text not yet checked]
- by Wilhelm Rosenberg (b. 1862), "Ich sah den Wald sich färben", op. 1 (Fünf Duette für Sopran und Alt mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 3, published 1888 [ vocal duet for soprano and alto with piano ], Leipzig, W. Hansen [sung text not yet checked]
- by Heinrich Schnaubelt (1814 - 1871), "Ich sah den Wald sich färben", op. 42 no. 7, published 1871, stanzas 1-2,4-6 [ men's chorus a cappella ], from Lieder-Album für Männergesang, no. 7, Regensburg, Georg Joseph Manz [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Ferdinand Sieber (1822 - 1895), "Ich sah den Wald sich färben ", op. 75 (Drei Lieder für Mezzosopran oder Bariton mit Pianoforte) no. 3, published 1869 [ mezzo-soprano or baritone and piano ], Berlin, Trautwein [sung text not yet checked]
- by Heinrich Triest (1808 - 1885), "Wandervogel", op. 30 (Sechs Gesänge für drei Frauenstimmen Solo oder Chor mit Begleitung des Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1874 [ vocal trio for female voices (or three-part women's chorus) with piano ], Berlin, E. Challier [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Michael P Rosewall) , copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website: 2011-09-24
Line count: 24
Word count: 115
I saw the woods change color
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
I saw the woods change color, The sky was gray and mute; I was as sad as death, And scarcely knew why. Through fields of autumn shrubbery Dry leaves were blown; And I thought: You were robbed of joy By the wind. Your Springtime, so full of blooms, Your lush Summertime has died away; To this frozen patch You are now bound. Then suddenly, a clear tone Flew high on the breezes: It was a migrating bird Flying southward. Ah, like the beating of its wings Its song reached my ear, I felt it as comfort Wondrously piercing my heart. With its bright call The fleeing guest exhorted me: Do not forget, O soul of man, That you have wings!
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Translations of titles:
"Herbstlied" = "Autumn Song"
"Ich sah den Wald sich färben" = "I saw the woods change color"
"Wandervogel" = "Migrating Bird"
2 Schnaubelt: "bright throat"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2025 by Michael P Rosewall, (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 Emanuel von Geibel (1815 - 1884), no title, appears in Juniuslieder, in Vermischte Gedichte
This text was added to the website: 2025-12-08
Line count: 24
Word count: 120