Es war, als [hätt']1 der Himmel,
Die Erde still geküßt,
Daß sie im Blütenschimmer
Von ihm [nun]2 träumen müßt.

Die Luft ging durch die Felder,
Die Ähren wogten sacht,
Es rauschten leis die Wälder,
So sternklar war die Nacht.

Und meine Seele spannte
Weit ihre Flügel aus,
Flog [durch]3 die stillen [Lande]4,
Als flöge sie nach Haus.

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View original text (without footnotes)

Note for line 1: on the repetition in Thuille's song, "hätt'" becomes "hätte".

¹ Hutter: "ob"; further changes may exist not shown above.
² Brahms, Schumann: "nur"
³ Thuille: "über"
⁴ Brahms: "Räume"

Text Authorship:

• by Joseph Karl Benedikt, Freiherr von Eichendorff (1788 - 1857), "Mondnacht", appears in Gedichte, in 6. Geistliche Gedichte [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 Algernon Bennet Langton Ashton (1859 - 1937), "Mondnacht", op. 52 (Sechs Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 4, published 1891 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Ries & Erler [sung text not yet checked]
• by Franz Bendel (1833 - 1874), "Mondnacht", op. 100 (Acht Lieder) no. 7, published 1877 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Forberg [sung text not yet checked]
• by A. von Biegeleben , "Mondnacht", published 1882 [ medium voice and piano ], from Sechs Lieder, no. 6 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Martin Blumner (1827 - 1901), "Mondnacht", op. 9 (Sechs Lieder von Hoffmann von Fallersleben, O. Roquette und von Eichendorff, für vierstimmigen Männerchor) no. 6, published 1861 [ baritone and four-part men's chorus a cappella ], Berlin, Bahn [sung text not yet checked]
• by Martin Blumner (1827 - 1901), "Mondnacht", op. 15 (Sechs Lieder für eine Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 3, published 1864 [ alto or bass and piano ], Berlin, Trautwein  [sung text not yet checked]
• by John Böie (1822 - 1900), "Mondnacht", op. 4 (Sechs Lieder) no. 3, published 1846 [ voice and piano ], Hamburg, Böhme [sung text not yet checked]
• by Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897), "Mondnacht", WoO. 21 (1853), published 1872 [ voice and piano ], Cassel, Luckhardt [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Bertha von Brukenthal (1846 - 1908), "Mondnacht", op. 15 (Zwei Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 2, published 1875 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Schuberth & Co. [sung text not yet checked]
• by Friedrich Wilhelm Dietz (1833 - 1897), "Mondnacht", op. 52 (Drei Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 2, published 1879 [ voice and piano ], Zürich, Fries [sung text not yet checked]
• by Kurt Erickson , "Mondnacht", first performed 2014 [ soprano and piano ], from Ich und Du , no. 3 [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Gustav Flügel (1812 - 1900), "Mondnacht", op. 19 (6 Gesänge von Burns und Eichendorff für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 6, published 1848 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Breitkopf und Härtel [sung text not yet checked]
• by Hans Martin Gräbner (b. 1967), "Mondnacht", 2013 [ voice and piano ], from Solang Du lebest, ist es Tag - Ein Liederzyklus für BL, no. 5 [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Carl Graff , "Mondnacht", op. 1 (Vier Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 2, published 1879 [ voice and piano ], Kassel, Voigt [sung text not yet checked]
• by Leo Grill (1846 - 1919?), "Mondnacht", op. 5 (Sieben Lieder für S., A., T. und B.) no. 6, published 1874 [ SATB chorus ], Leipzig, Kistner [sung text not yet checked]
• by Johann Nepomuk Hummel (1778 - 1837), "Mondnacht" [sung text not yet checked]
• by Hermann Hutter , "Mondnacht", published 1892 [ vocal quartet for male voices ], from Sechs Lieder für vier Männerstimmen, no. 6, Berlin, Ries & Erler [sung text not yet checked]
• by Ernest Kafka (flourished c1880-1882), "Mondnacht", op. 25, published 1882 [ voice and piano ], Prag, Wetzler [sung text not yet checked]
• by Wilhelm Kalliwoda (1827 - 1893), "Mondnacht", op. 7 (Sechs Lieder für Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 3, published 1858 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Peters [sung text not yet checked]
• by (Karl) Emil Kauffmann (1836 - 1909), "Mondnacht", op. 3 (Vier Lieder) no. 3, published 1865 [ soprano or tenor and piano ], Stuttgart, Zumsteeg [sung text not yet checked]
• by Hugo Wilhelm Ludwig Kaun (1863 - 1932), "Mondnacht", published 1888 [ four-part women's chorus and piano ], Berlin, H. Schröders Nachf. [sung text not yet checked]
• by Marie Charlotte Henriette von Kehler (1822 - 1882), "Gedicht", published 1885 [ voice and piano ], from Sechs Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung, no. 5, Berlin, Barth [sung text not yet checked]
• by Friedrich Kiel (1821 - 1885), "Mondnacht", op. 31, Heft 1 no. 5, published 1874 [ voice and piano ], from Liederkreis. Zwölf Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte, no. 5, Berlin : Bote & Bock; reprinted in 1997 by Verlag Dohr, Köln. [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Wilhelm Killmayer (1927 - 2017), "Mondnacht", 1991, first performed 1992 [ high voice or medium voice and piano ], from Eichendorff-Lieder, no. 3, Mainz, Schott [sung text not yet checked]
• by Friedrich [Fritz] Kirchner (1840 - 1907), "Mondnacht", op. 98 (Zwei Lieder für 1 Mittelstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 2, published 1884 [ medium voice and piano ], Leipzig, Kistner [sung text not yet checked]
• by Felix Landau , "Mondnacht", published 1890 [ voice and piano ], Hamburg, Leichssenring [sung text not yet checked]
• by Eduard Lassen (1830 - 1904), "Mondnacht", published 1859 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
• by Heinrich August Marschner (1795 - 1861), "Mondnacht", op. 179 (Drei Gesänge für eine Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 2, published 1857 [ voice and piano ], Wien, Spina [sung text not yet checked]
• by Wilhelm Martens , "Mondnacht", op. 24 no. 17, published 1900 [ voice and piano ], from Eichendorff-Album. 20 Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung. Frühlings-und Wanderlieder , no. 17, Berlin, Deneke [sung text not yet checked]
• by Rolf Martinsson (b. 1956), "Mondnacht", first performed 2015 [ voice and orchestra ], from Ich denke Dein, no. 4 [sung text checked 1 time]
• by C. A. Joh. Masberg , "Mondnacht", op. 2 (Sechs vierstimmige Gesänge für S., A., T. und B.) no. 2, published 1879 [ SATB chorus a cappella ], Berlin, Bahn [sung text not yet checked]
• by Emanuel Moór (1863 - 1931), "Mondnacht", op. 43 (Vier Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1895 [ voice and piano ], Budapest, Rózsavölgyi & Co. [sung text not yet checked]
• by Philipp Nabholz (1882 - 1952), "Mondnacht", published 192-? [ medium voice and piano ], from Vier Lieder, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Ludvig Norman (1831 - 1885), "Mondnacht", 1850 [ voice and piano ], from Lieder aus früherer Zeit, 1stes Heft, Leipzig 1848-1851, no. 5 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Michael Ostrzyga (b. 1975), no title, 2017 [ mixed chorus ], from Drift, Chorus XXI : Perspektiven neuer Chormusik [sung text not yet checked]
• by John Knowles Paine (1839 - 1906), "Mondnacht", op. 29 (Four songs) no. 4 [ voice and piano ], also set in English [sung text checked 1 time]
• by W. Rose , "Mondnacht", published 1866 [ soprano or tenor and piano ], from 6 Lieder, no. 4 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Philipp Roth , "Mondnacht", published 1880 [ voice and piano ], from Drei Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung, no. 1, Berlin, Sulzbach [sung text not yet checked]
• by Moritz Scharf (1838 - 1908), "Mondnacht", op. 34 (Acht Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 8, published 1891 [ voice and piano ], Magdeburg, Haushahn Sort. [sung text not yet checked]
• by Carl Schiller (flourished 1861-1885), "Mondnacht", op. 15, published 1884 [ four-part men's chorus ], Koburg, Schiller [sung text not yet checked]
• by Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856), "Mondnacht", op. 39 no. 5 (1840), published 1842 [ voice and piano ], from Liederkreis von Joseph Freiherr von Eichendorff, no. 5, Wien, Haslinger [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Arthur Smolian (1856 - 1911), "Mondnacht", published 1886 [ men's chorus ], from Drei Männerchöre, no. 1, Chemnitz, Plötner & Wagner  [sung text not yet checked]
• by Wilhelm Sturm (1842 - 1922), "Es war als hätt' der Himmel", op. 16 (Vier Gesänge für vierstimmigen Männerchor) no. 2, published 1876 [ vocal quartet for male voices ], Leipzig, Kistner [sung text not yet checked]
• by Heinrich Ferdinand Thieriot (1838 - 1919), "Mondnacht", op. 11 (3 Lieder) no. 3 [ voice, piano, and violoncello ] [sung text not yet checked]
• by Ludwig Wilhelm Andreas Maria Thuille (1861 - 1907), "Mondnacht", 1878 [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Frank Valentin Van der Stucken (1858 - 1929), "Mondnacht", published 1887 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Johann Wolfensperger (b. 1845), "Mondnacht", op. 17 (Acht Lieder für gemischten Chor) no. 2, published 1879 [ mixed chorus ], Zürich, Fries [sung text not yet checked]
• by A. Zellner , "Mondnacht", published 1878 [ voice and piano ], from Drei Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte, no. 2, Berlin, Schlesinger [sung text not yet checked]
• by Heinrich Zöllner (1854 - 1941), "Mondnacht", op. 19 (Sechs Gedichte von Eichendorff für vierstimmigen Männerchor) no. 1, published 1883 [ four-part men's chorus a cappella ], Leipzig, Siegel [sung text not yet checked]

Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:

• Also set in English, a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by John Knowles Paine.
  • Go to the text.
    
• Also set in French (Français), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Philippe Hersant.
  • Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
    
• Also set in Russian (Русский), a translation by Aleksey Nikolayevich Pleshcheyev (1825 - 1893) , "Лунная ночь", written 1861 ; composed by Vasily Pavlovich Kalafati, Sergey Vladimirovich Yuferov.
  • Go to the text.
    

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

• CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• CHI Chinese (中文) [singable] (Dr Huaixing Wang) , copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Jos. Van de Vijver) , "Maanlicht"
• DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• ENG English (Emily Ezust) , no title, copyright ©
• ENG English [singable] (Shula Keller) , "Moonlit night", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• ENG English [singable] (Walter A. Aue) , "Moonlit night", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Nuit de lune", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• HEB Hebrew (עברית) (Max Mader) , "ליל ירח", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• IRI Irish (Gaelic) [singable] (Gabriel Rosenstock) , copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , "Notte di luna", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• NOR Norwegian (Bokmål) (Marianne Beate Kielland) , "Månenatt", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• POR Portuguese (Português) (Elke Beatriz Riedel) , "Noite de luar", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• SPA Spanish (Español) (Diego S. Loyola) , "Noche de Luna", copyright © 2003, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• SPA Spanish (Español) (Elisa Rapado) , copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Johann Winkler

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 57

It was as if the sky
Had quietly kissed the earth,
So that, glistening with blossoms,
She must only dream of him.1

The breeze wafted through the fields,
The ears of corn waved gently,
The forests rustled faintly,
So sparkling clear was the night.

And my soul stretched 
its wings out far,
Flew through the still lands,
as if it were flying home.