by
Robert Walser (1878 - 1956)
Im Mondschein
Language: German (Deutsch)
Ich dachte gestern nacht,
die Sterne müssten singen,
als ich aufwacht
und es leise hörte klingen.
Es war aber eine Handharfe,
die durch die Räume drang,
und durch die kalte, scharfe
Nacht klang es so bang.
Dachte so verlornem Ringen,
Gebeten und Flüchen nach,
und noch lange hört' ich es singen,
lag lang noch wach.
Text Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Daniel Glaus (b. 1957), "Im Mondschein", 1977 [ soprano and piano ], from Sechs Lieder nach frühen Gedichten, no. 4 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Heinz Holliger (b. 1939), "Im Mondschein", 1990/1 [ counter-tenor, clarinet, accordion, and contrabass ], from Beiseit: Zwölf Lieder nach Gedichten von Robert Walser, no. 12 [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Bertram Kottmann) , "In moonlight", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [
Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2007-08-18
Line count: 12
Word count: 55
In moonlight
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
I thought the other night
it was as if the stars were singing,
when I woke from a light
yet constant ringing.
It was a concertina, though,
spreading through the rooms,
and through the cold and biting
night an anxiousness was wafting.
Was poring over struggles lost,
prayers, maledictions,
and long I heard the singing,
still lay awake for long.
Text Authorship:
Based on:
This text was added to the website: 2009-09-09
Line count: 12
Word count: 60