Was mich zu dir so [heftig]1 zog
War nicht der Augen Allgewalt,
Der Schimmer nicht des goldnen Haar's
Und nicht die schlanke Huldgestalt.

Was mich zu dir so mächtig zog,
War deiner Stimme trüber Klang,
Der mir wie Nachtigallensang
Ins Herz, ins lebensmüde, drang.

Die Blässe deiner Wangen war's
Und [deine]2 Träne, die verriet,
Dass deine Seele tiefgeheim
Ein namenloses Weh durchzieht.

About the headline (FAQ)

View original text (without footnotes)
¹ Blumenthal, Meyer-Helmund, Riedel, Wolf: "mächtig"; further changes by Meyer-Helmund, Riedel, and Wolf may exist not noted.
² Blumenthal: "eine"

Text Authorship:

• by Maximilian Bern (1849 - 1923) [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 Jacques (Jacob) Blumenthal (1829 - 1908), "Was mich zu dir", also set in English [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Pauline von Erdmannsdörfer-Fichtner, née Oprawill (1847 - 1916), "Was mich zu dir so mächtig zog" [ voice and piano ], from Vier Lieder, no. 2, Berlin: Ries & Erler [sung text not yet checked]
• by Erik Meyer-Helmund (1861 - 1932), "Was mich zu Dir so mächtig zog", op. 27 (Drei Lieder für Sopran (oder Tenor) mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 2, published 1886 [ soprano or tenor and piano ], Hamburg, Rahter [sung text not yet checked]
• by Hermann Riedel (1847 - 1913), "Was mich zu dir so mächtig zog", op. 13 (Fünf Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1881 [ voice and piano ], Wien, Gutmann [sung text not yet checked]
• by Max Wolf , "Was mich zu dir so mächtig zog", op. 23 (Zwei Lieder für Mezzo-Sopran (oder Bariton) mit Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1883 [ mezzo-soprano or baritone and piano ], Wien, Lewy [sung text not yet checked]

Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:

• Also set in English, a translation by Gwendolen Gore ; composed by Jacques Blumenthal.
  • Go to the text.
    
• Also set in Swedish (Svenska), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Sven August Körling.
  • Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
    

Researcher for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani

This text was added to the website: 2008-07-25
Line count: 12
Word count: 64

The magic charm that drew me on,
Was not thine eyes' resistless spell,
And not thy gleaming golden hair
Nor that sweet form I know so well.

The magic power that drew me on
Was just thy voice's tender tone,
The nightingale had taught thee, sweet
That soothed my weary heart alone.

'Twas but thy pale and gentle face,
And just one tear that fell again,
Betraying that thy inmost soul
Was filled with a nameless pain, sore pain.