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by Matthäus Kasimir von Collin (1779 - 1824)
Translation © by Lau Kanen

Herrn Josef Spaun, Assessor in Linz
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT DUT ENG FRE
(Recitativo)
 Und nimmer schreibst du?
 Bleibest uns verloren,
 Ein starr Verstummter, nun für ew'ge Zeit?
 Vielleicht, weil neue Freunde du erkoren?
 Wardst du Assessor denn am Tisch so breit,
 Woran beim Aktenstoß seufzt Langeweile,
 Um abzusterben aller Freudigkeit?
 Doch nein, nur wir sind's, nur uns ward zu Teile
 Dies Schweigen, dies Verstummen und Vergessen.
 Armut und Not selbst an der kleinsten Zeile!
 Für jeden bist du schriftkarg nicht gesessen;
 Für manchen kamen Briefe angeflogen,
 Und nach der Elle hast du sie gemessen;
 Doch uns, Barbar, hast du dein Herz entzogen!

(Aria)
 Schwingt euch kühn, zu bange Klagen,
 Aus empörter Brust hervor,
 Und von Melodien getragen,
 Wagt euch an des Fernen Ohr!
 Was er immer mag erwidern,
 Dieses hier saget doch;
 »Zwar vergessen, jenes Biedern
 Denken wir in Liebe noch.«

Note: Schubert received the text of this humorous complaint letter, which Matthäus von Collin sent to his cousin Josef von Spaun, in handwritten form. The text is documented as item no. 300 in Franz Schubert. Die Dokumente seines Lebens und Schaffens. Herausgegeben von Otto Erich Deutsch. Zweiter Band. Erste Hälfte. München und Leipzig 1914 bei Georg Müller, pages 119-120.


Text Authorship:

  • by Matthäus Kasimir von Collin (1779 - 1824) [author's text not yet checked 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), "Herrn Josef Spaun, Assessor in Linz", D 749 (1822), published 1850 [ voice, piano ], A. Diabelli & Co., VN 8823 Wien (Nachlaß-Lieferung 46) [sung text checked 1 time]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Epístola "Al Sr. Josef von Spaun, assessor a Linz”", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Epistel. Een muzikale grap", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Epistle: To Mr. Joseph von Spaun, Assessor in Linz", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Épître « À Monsieur Joseph Spaun, assesseur à Linz »", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this page: Richard Morris , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 129

Epistel. Een muzikale grap
Language: Dutch (Nederlands)  after the German (Deutsch) 
(Recitativo)
 En nooit meer schrijf je?
 Blijft voor ons verloren,
 Een star verstomde,
 Tot in eeuwigheid?
 Misschien heb nieuwe vrienden je verkoren?
 Werd je assessor soms, zo'n heremijt,
 Die zich bij 't klerkenwerk dood moet vervelen,
 Om kwijt te raken alle vrolijkheid?
 Maar nee, slechts wij zijn 't.
 Slechts wij moesten velen
 Dit zwijgen, dit verstommen en vergeten.
 Armoe en nood, zelfs niet het kleinste teken!
 Niet ieder heeft jouw zwijgen aangevreten,
 Voor velen kwam brieven aangevlogen,
 Ja, zelfs met ellen heb je ze gemeten,
 Maar ons, barbaar, heb je je hart onttogen!

(Aria)
 Laat je gaan in bange klachten,
 Lucht je boos gemoed sonoor,
 En met muzikale machten,
 Dring tot hem, die verre, door!
 Wat voor smoes hij op laat draven,
 Dit beslist zeg hem toch:
 "Zelf vergeten, aan die brave
 Denken wij met liefde nog!"

Text Authorship:

  • Singable translation from German (Deutsch) to Dutch (Nederlands) copyright © 2009 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 Matthäus Kasimir von Collin (1779 - 1824)
    • Go to the text page.

 

This text was added to the website: 2009-04-16
Line count: 26
Word count: 137

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This website began in 1995 as a personal project by Emily Ezust, who has been working on it full-time without a salary since 2008. Our research has never had any government or institutional funding, so if you found the information here useful, please consider making a donation. Your help is greatly appreciated!
–Emily Ezust, Founder

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