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Wer Lebenslust fühlet, Der [bleibt]1 nicht allein; Allein seyn ist öde - Wer kann sich da freun! Im traulichen Kreise, Beim herzlichen Kuß, Beysammen zu leben Ist Seelengenuß. Das lehrt uns der Tauber - [Vor]2 Liebe und Lust Erhebt sich dem Täubchen Die seidene Brust; Es girret für Wonne, Es lehret im Kuß, Beysammen zu leben Sey Herzensgenuß. Geselligkeit fesselt Die [schöne]3 Natur, In Lüften, im Wasser, Auf lachender Flur. Er selber geboth es, Der alles erschuf, Beysammen zu leben [Sey]4 Menschenberuf. Dem [folge du Gute, Und singe]5 nicht mehr, Die Einsamkeit wäre Nicht öde, nicht leer. Allein seyn [erzeuget]6 Nur Sehnsucht und Schmerz; Beysammen zu leben Befriedigt das Herz.
Confirmed with Österreichisches Taschenbuch für das Jahr 1804. Mit Gedichten und Aufsätzen von [...]. Wien. Bey Anton Pichler, pages 49-50; with Der Neue Teutsche Merkur. vom Jahr 1804. Herausgegeben von C. M. Wieland. Erster Band. Weimar 1804. Im Verlage des L. Industrie-Comptoirs. 4. Stück. April 1804, pages 249-250; and with Joh. Ungers Lieder. Nachgeahmt oder Von ihm selbst gedichtet und in Musik gesetzt, pages 31-32 (Unger's manuscript book in British private possession).
In Österreichisches Taschenbuch Unger's poem has the subtitle Gegenlied. An Fräulein von S***. In Der Neue Teutsche Merkur the poem is printed with a different line break: two consecutive lines are merged into one.
Note: As indicated by the subtitle Gegenlied this poem is a response to the preceding poem in the book, titled Die Einsamkeit with the subtitle Lied, which was declaimed by a certain Fräulein von Sölewangen to whom Unger dedicated his "counter-poem" (and phrased the first line of the last stanza accordingly). Schubert received Unger's poem much later in manuscript form.
Note: in Schubert's song, in the repetition of stanza 2, line 8, "Sey" becomes "Ist".
1 Unger (Teutscher Merkur): "lebt"2 Unger's manuscript, and Schubert: "Für"
3 Unger's manuscript, and Schubert: "ganze"
4 Schubert: "Ist"
5 Unger (Teutscher Merkur), his manuscript, and Schubert: "folget ihr Guten,/ Und singet"
6 Unger's manuscript: "vergnüget"
Text Authorship:
- by Johann Karl Unger (1771 - 1836), "Die Geselligkeit" [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 Conradin Kreutzer (1780 - 1849), "Die Geselligkeit", op. 76 (12 Lieder und Romanzen für 1 und 2 Singstimmen mit Pianoforte) no. 2, KWV. 9112 no. 2 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Kistner [sung text not yet checked]
- by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Die Geselligkeit", D 609 (1818), published 1872 [ satb quartet with piano ], J. P. Gotthard, VN 322, Wien [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "La companyonia", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Malcolm Wren) , copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Virginia Knight , Lau Kanen [Guest Editor] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 32
Word count: 108
Wie levenslust voelt, ja, die blijft niet alleen, Alleen zijn is treurig, dat wil er geen een. Bij aardige vrienden, bij 'n hart'lijke kus Tezamen te leven is heerlijk en knus! Dat leert ons de doffer, voor liefde en lust Verheft zich het borstje der duif onbewust. De doffer gaat koeren, hij leert met zijn kus: Tezamen te leven is heerlijk en knus! Gezelligheid ketent de hele natuur, Op d' akkers, in 't water, in 't lachend azuur. De Schepper gebood het, het was juist zijn wens, Tezamen te leven is taak van de mens! Volg hem dus, mijn vrienden, en zing dus niet meer Dat eenzaamheid fijn is, niet saai en vol sfeer. Alleen zijn is bron van verlangen en smart, Tezamen te leven bevredigt het hart!
About the headline (FAQ)
Translations of titles:
"Lebenslust" = "Levenslust"
"Die Geselligkeit" = "De gezelligheid"
Text Authorship:
- Singable translation from German (Deutsch) to Dutch (Nederlands) copyright © 2008 by Lau Kanen, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., please ask the copyright-holder(s) directly.
Lau Kanen. Contact: boudewijnkanen (AT) gmail (DOT) com
If the copyright-holder(s) are unreachable for three business days, please write to: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Johann Karl Unger (1771 - 1836), "Die Geselligkeit"
This text was added to the website: 2008-12-30
Line count: 32
Word count: 128