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Auf meinen heimischen Bergen Da sind die Wolken zu Haus', Bin mitten innen gestanden, Und sah in's Thal hinaus. Sie aber flogen von dannen, Wie Schwäne so licht und leicht; [Wär' gerne]1 mit ihnen gezogen, So weit der Himmel reicht. Es drängte mich fort in die Fremde Zur Ferne ein wilder Trieb; Doch jetzt erscheinen mir Heimath Und Nähe gar heilig und lieb. Nun sehn' ich mich nimmer in's Weite, Hinaus in's nebelnde Blau; Nun späh' ich mit stillem Verlangen Hinab in die schmale Au. Was nickt dort unten am Fenster, Und blühet wie Morgenlicht? Ist's ihre Ros' am Gesimse, [Wie]2 oder ihr holdes Gesicht? Viel Glück ihr Wolken zur Reise! Ich ziehe nimmer mit euch; Was aber locket und lispelt Da drüben im Lenzgesträuch? Bist du es Quelle, die flistert? Ja, ja! ich eile mit dir; Du kennst ja die kürzesten Wege Hinunter, hinunter zu ihr!
Confirmed with Gedichte von Carl Gottfried Ritter von Leitner. Wien, gedruckt bey J. P. Sollinger. 1825, pages 165-166; and with Gedichte von Karl Gottfried Ritter v. Leitner. Zweite sehr vermehrte Auflage. Hannover. Victor Lohse. 1857, pages 106-107.
Note: Schubert only sketched an outline of the vocal part of this song, but did neither write a title nor underlay any text. Reinhard van Hoorickx identified the poem set by Schubert and suggested a completion of Schubert's fragment.
1 Leitner (1857 edition): "Gern wär' ich"2 apparently omitted by Schubert
Authorship:
- by Karl Gottfried von Leitner (1800 - 1890), "Wolke und Quelle", written 1822, first published 1825 [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 Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Wolke und Quelle", D 896B (1827?), published 1988 [ voice, piano ], fragment, completed by Reinhard van Hoorickx [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Núvol i font", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Wolk en bron", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Malcolm Wren) , "Cloud and spring", copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this text: Ted Perry , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 28
Word count: 147
On my local mountains The clouds are at home, I stood in the middle of them And looked down into the valley. But they flew away from there, Like swans, so bright and light; I would happily have gone with them As far as the sky extended. I felt a force driving me off abroad To distant places, like a wild instinct; But now my homeland has appeared in front of me, And everything that is close by, so holy and beloved. Now I never long to go far away, Out into the misty blue; Now, with a quiet longing, I peer Down into the narrow meadow. What is it nodding down there by the window, And blossoming like the morning light? Is it her rose on the window-sill Or is it her beautiful face? Clouds, good luck on your journey! I shall never go off with you; What is it that is beckoning and whispering Over there in the spring foliage? Is it you that is murmuring, oh spring? Yes, yes, I shall hurry along with you; You surely know the shortest route Down, down to her!
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2020 by Malcolm Wren, (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 Karl Gottfried von Leitner (1800 - 1890), "Wolke und Quelle", written 1822, first published 1825
This text was added to the website: 2020-04-08
Line count: 28
Word count: 188