by Johann Baptist Mayrhofer (1787 - 1836)
Translation © by Ferdinando Albeggiani

Nachtviolen
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT DUT ENG FRE ITA
Nachtviolen, Nachtviolen!
Dunkle Augen, seelenvolle, -
Selig ist es sich [versinken]1
In den sammtnen Blau.

Grüne Blätter streben freudig
Euch zu hellen, euch zu schmücken;
Doch ihr blicket ernst und schweigend
In die laue Frühlingsluft.

[Ja, so fesselt ihr den Dichter:]2
Mit [erhabnem Wehmuthstrahle]3
Trafet ihr [sein]4 treues Herz.

Und nun blüht in stummen Nächten
Fort die heilige Verbindung.
[Unaussprechlich, unbegriffen,
Und die Welt erbleicht und sinkt.]2

Available sung texts: (what is this?)

•   F. Schubert 

View original text (without footnotes)

Note: Schubert received Mayrhofer's texts in handwriting; the manuscripts of his cycle Heliopolis, dedicated to Franz von Schober, are preserved in the Vienna City Library. The printed edition of Mayrhofer's poems appeared much later and presents the texts in a revised version. This poem (originally no. 4 of the cycle) is not part of the cycle in the printed edition of 1843. Here it is no. 1 of the cycle Nachtviolen.

1 Schubert: "versenken" ("versinken" appears in his autograph but not in the published song)
2 omitted by Schubert.
3 Schubert: "erhabnem Wehmuthsstrahle"
4 Schubert: "mein"

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):

Another version of this text exists in the database.

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Julianes", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Nachtviolen", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Dame's violets", copyright ©
  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Juliennes des dames", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Viole notturne", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2022-04-15
Line count: 15
Word count: 66

Viole notturne
Language: Italian (Italiano)  after the German (Deutsch) 
Viole notturne, viole notturne!
Dagli occhi profondi, pieni d'espressione,
felicità è sprofondare
nel vostro blu di velluto.

Le foglie verdi con gioia si sforzano
di rischiararvi, di rendervi più belle;
Ma serio e silenzioso rimane il vostro sguardo
nell'aria tiepida della Primavera.

[...]
Con i raggi sublimi della malinconia
avete trafitto il mio cuore fedele,

E sboccia ora nelle notti silenziose
la nostra sacra unione.
[...
...]

Note: this is a translation of Schubert's sung text.


Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to Italian (Italiano) copyright © 2010 by Ferdinando Albeggiani, (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.
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Based on:

 

This text was added to the website: 2010-01-31
Line count: 15
Word count: 66