by Giacomo Leopardi (1798 - 1837)
Translation by Paul Heyse (1830 - 1914)
L'infinito
Language: Italian (Italiano)
Sempre caro mi fu quest'ermo colle, E questa siepe, che da tanta parte Dell'ultimo orizzonte il guardo esclude. Ma sedendo e mirando, interminati Spazi di là da quella, e sovrumani Silenzi, e profondissima quiete Io nel pensier mi fingo; ove per poco Il cor non si spaura. - E come il vento Odo stormir tra queste piante, io quello Infinito silenzio a questa voce Vo comparando: e mi sovvien l'eterno, E le morte stagioni, e la presente E viva, e il suon di lei. Così tra questa Immensità s'annega il pensier mio, E il naufragar m'è dolce in questo mare.
Text Authorship:
- by Giacomo Leopardi (1798 - 1837), "L'infinito" [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 Gaetano Braga (1829 - 1907), "L'infinito", published [1862] [ high voice and piano ], from Six Mélodies de Gaetano Braga, no. 6, Éd. Flaxland [sung text not yet checked]
- by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (1895 - 1968), "L'infinito", op. 22 (1921) [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Jean Guillou (b. 1930), "L'infinito", published 1974 [ bass voice and organ ], Paris, Éditions Alphonse Leduc [sung text not yet checked]
- by Wilhelm Killmayer (1927 - 2017), "L'infinito", 1965, first performed 1967 [ baritone and orchestra ], from Tre Canti di Leopardi, no. 1, Mainz, Schott [sung text not yet checked]
- by Matteo Neri , "L'infinito" [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Juan Bautista Plaza (1898 - 1965), "L'infinito", 1921 [ tenor or soprano and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
The text above (or a part of it) is used in the following settings:
- by Philippe Hersant (b. 1948), "L'infinito", 1993 [ mixed chorus a cappella ]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Frederick Townsend) , "The Infinite", first published 1887
- FRE French (Français) [singable] (Michel Orcel) , "L'infini", copyright ©
- GER German (Deutsch) (Paul Heyse) , "Das Unendliche", written 1831
- SPA Spanish (Español) (Calixto Oyuela) , "Lo infinito", written 1883
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 15
Word count: 99
Das Unendliche
Language: German (Deutsch) after the Italian (Italiano)
Lieb war mir immer dieser kahle Hügel Und diese Hecke, die dem Blick so Viel Vom fernsten Horizont zu schau'n verwehrt. Und wenn ich sitz' und um mich blicke, träum' ich, Endlose Weiten, übermenschlich Schweigen Und allertiefste Ruhe herrsche dort Jenseits der niedern Schranke, und das Herz Erschauert mir vor Grau'n. Und hör' ich dann Den Wind erbrausen im Gezweig, vergleich' ich Die grenzenlose Stille dort, und hier Die laute Stimme; und des Ew'gen denk' ich, Der todten Zeiten und der gegenwärt'gen Lebend'gen Zeit und ihres Lärms. Und so Im uferlosen All versinkt mein Geist, Und süß ist mir's, in diesem Meer zu scheitern.
Text Authorship:
- by Paul Heyse (1830 - 1914), "Das Unendliche", written 1831 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in Italian (Italiano) by Giacomo Leopardi (1798 - 1837), "L'infinito"
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: 2008-12-29
Line count: 15
Word count: 104