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[Wann]1 über Berge sich der Nebel breitet,
Und Luna mit Gewölken kämpft,
So nimmt der Alte seine [Harf']2, und schreitet,
Und singt waldeinwärts und gedämpft:
"Du heil'ge Nacht!
Bald ist's vollbracht.
Bald schlaf ich ihn
Den langen Schlummer,
Der mich erlöst
Von [jedem]3 Kummer."
Die grünen Bäume rauschen dann,
Schlaf süß du guter alter Mann;
Die Gräser lispeln wankend fort,
Wir decken seinen Ruheort;
Und mancher [traute]4 Vogel ruft,
O [laßt]5 ihn ruh'n in Rasengruft! -
Der Alte horcht, der Alte schweigt -
Der Tod hat sich zu ihm geneigt.
Confirmed with Gedichte von Johann Mayrhofer. Wien. Bey Friedrich Volke. 1824, page 12.
1 Schubert: "Wenn"2 Schubert: "Harfe"
3 Schubert: "allem"
4 Schubert: "liebe"
5 Schubert (Alte Gesamtausgabe): "laß"
Authorship
- by Johann Baptist Mayrhofer (1787 - 1836), "Nachtstück" [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 Franz Wilhelm Abt (1819 - 1885), "Nachtstück", op. 148 (Drei Gesänge für vierstimmigen Männerchor) no. 1 [ ttbb chorus a cappella ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Nachtstück", op. 36 (Zwei Lieder) no. 2, D 672 (1819), published 1825 [ voice, piano ], Cappi und Comp., VN 60, Wien [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Nocturn", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Nachtstuk", copyright © 2005, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Nocturne", copyright ©
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Nocturne", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Paolo Pupillo) (Claretta Manara) , "Notturno", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- SPA Spanish (Español) (Juan Henríquez Concepción) , "Nocturno", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 18
Word count: 90
Quand au-dessus des montagnes la brume s'étend, Et la lune se bat contre les nuages, Alors le vieil homme prend sa harpe et s'avance Et chante vers la forêt et à voix basse : "Toi, sainte nuit : Bientôt ce sera fini, Bientôt je dormirai du long sommeil, Qui me libèrera de toute peine." Les arbres verts murmurent alors : "Dors doucement, toi, bon et viel homme ;" Les herbes chuchotent en vacillant : "Nous couvrirons l'endroit de ton repos ;" Et maint oiseau appelle : "Oh, qu'il se repose dans sa tombe engazonnée !" Le vieil homme entend, le vieil homme se tait ; La mort s'est inclinée devant lui.
Authorship
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to French (Français) copyright © 2010 by Guy Laffaille, (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 Johann Baptist Mayrhofer (1787 - 1836), "Nachtstück"
This text was added to the website: 2010-01-16
Line count: 16
Word count: 111