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Aus des Meeres dunklen Tiefen Stieg die Venus still empor, Als die Nachtigallen riefen In dem Hain, den sie erkor. Und zum Spiegel, voll Verlangen, Glätteten die Wogen sich, Um ihr Bild noch aufzufangen, Da sie selbst auf ewig wich. Lächelnd gönnte sie dem feuchten Element den letzten Blick, Davon blieb dem Meer sein Leuchten Bis auf diesen Tag zurück.
Authorship
- by (Christian) Friedrich Hebbel (1813 - 1863), first published 1845 [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 Peter Gast (1854 - 1918), "Meeresleuchten", op. 8 (Sechs Lieder für Sopran mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 4, published 1900 [soprano and piano], Leipzig, Hofmeister [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
- by (Leopold) Heinrich (Picot de Peccaduc), Freiherr von Herzogenberg (1843 - 1900), "Meeresleuchten", op. 73 (Drei Gesänge) no. 3, published 1891 [SATB quartet with piano], Leipzig, Rieter-Biedermann [ sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Andrew Schneider) , "The Shining Sea", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Claus-Christian Schuster
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 60
Out from the sea's dark depths Venus rose quietly upward, As the nightingales called in the woods that she chose. And the waves smoothed themselves as unto a mirror, full of longing. They still endeavour to capture her image, that she herself forever softened. Smiling, she graciously allowed to the wet element a final exposure, which remains as a result upon the sea until this very day.
Authorship
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2019 by Andrew Schneider, (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:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by (Christian) Friedrich Hebbel (1813 - 1863), first published 1845
This text was added to the website: 2019-04-20
Line count: 12
Word count: 67