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by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926)
Translation © by Pierre Mathé
Ein Gott vermags. Wie aber, sag mir,...
Language: German (Deutsch)
Our translations: FRE
Ein Gott vermags. Wie aber, sag mir, soll ein Mann ihm folgen durch die schmale Leier? Sein Sinn ist Zwiespalt. An der Kreuzung zweier Herzwege steht kein Tempel für Apoll. Gesang, wie du ihn lehrst, ist nicht Begehr, nicht Werbung um ein endlich noch Erreichtes; Gesang ist Dasein. Für den Gott ein Leichtes. Wann aber sind wir? Und wann wendet er an unser Sein die Erde und die Sterne? Dies ists nicht, Jüngling, Daß du liebst, wenn auch die Stimme dann den Mund dir aufstößt, - lerne vergessen, daß du aufsangst. Das verrinnt. In Wahrheit singen, ist ein andrer Hauch. Ein Hauch um nichts. Ein Wehn im Gott. Ein Wind.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926), no title, appears in Die Sonette an Orpheus 1, no. 3 [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 Holger Arden (b. 1946), "Sonett III Teil 1", 2022 [ tenor, mixed chorus, hand bells, clarinet and piano or harp ], from Die Orpheus Sonetten, no. 1, NB noter [sung text not yet checked]
- by Nancy Laird Chance (b. 1931), "Ein Gott vermags", published 1966 [ soprano, flute, English horn, and cello ], from Three Poems by Rilke, no. 3, New York, Seesaw [sung text not yet checked]
- by Robert Edler (1912 - 1986), "Sonett 3 (Chor und Solo)", op. 59 no. 3 (1970) [ tenor, speaker, chorus and orchestra ], from Sonette an Orpheus, no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Stanley Grill (b. 1953), "Ein Gott vermags", copyright © 2012 [ tenor and piano ], from Sonnets to Orpheus, no. 3, confirmed with an online score [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Franck Adrian Holzkamp (b. 1966), "Ein Gott vermags", 1997 [ mezzo-soprano or baritone and orchestra ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ladislav Kubík (b. 1946), "Ein Gott vermags...", first performed 2008 [ alto, mixed chorus, saxophone, orchestra ], from symphony Sinfonietta No. 3 - "Gong", no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hans-Jürg Meier (1964 - 2015), "Gesang ist Dasein", 2011 [ vocal quartet ], from ...und die Musik, immer neu, baut im unbrauchbaren Raum..., no. 3, Musinfo [sung text not yet checked]
- by Alessandro Melchiorre (b. 1951), "Schwelle", 1989, published 1989, copyright © 1989 [ voice, flute, oboe, clarinet, piano, percussion, electronics, violin and violoncello ], Milano : Ricordi [sung text not yet checked]
- by Jan Erik Mikalsen (b. 1979), "Sonette", 2015 [ 4 sopranos, 4 mezzo-soprano, 4 tenors, 4 basses, 2 contrabasses,, 2 percussions ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Einojuhani Rautavaara (1928 - 2016), "Ein Gott vermags" [ voice and piano or orchestra ], from Fünf Sonette an Orpheus, no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Andrew Schultz (b. 1960), "Ein Gott vermags", op. 81 no. 3 (2009), first performed 2010 [ soprano, violin, piano ], from Stille sprache, no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Tristan Schulze , "Ein Gott vermags", 2015 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Bent Sørensen (b. 1958), "In Wahrheit Singen", 2020 [ mixed chorus ], Copenhagen : Edition Wilhelm Hansen [sung text not yet checked]
- by Wolfgang Steffen (1923 - 1993), "Ein Gott vermag's", 1968 [ medium voice and piano ], from Vier Sonette an Orpheus, no. 4 [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in English, a translation by Stephen Mitchell (b. 1943) , no title, copyright © ; composed by Robert Cogan, Eric Moe.
- Also set in French (Français), a translation by Armel Guerne (1911 - 1980) , copyright © ; composed by Jean-Guy Bailly.
- Also set in Russian (Русский), a translation by Vladimir Borisovich Mikushevich (b. 1936) , no title, copyright © ; composed by Vladislav Mikhailovich Lebedev.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2010-01-11
Line count: 14
Word count: 109
Un dieu peut le faire. Mais dis‑moi...
Language: French (Français) after the German (Deutsch)
Un dieu peut le faire. Mais dis-moi comment un homme le suivrait-il dans la lyre étroite ? Son esprit est écartelé. Là où les chemins de deux cœurs se croisent, il n'y a pas de temple pour Apollon. Le chant, comme tu l'enseignes, n'est pas le désir, n'est pas courtiser ce qu'on peut encore atteindre ; Le chant est existence. Pour le dieu c'est facile. Mais quand sommes-nous ? Et quand tourne-t-il vers notre être la Terre et les étoiles ? Ce n'est rien de cela, jeune homme, que tu aimes, même si la voix presse ta bouche, apprends à oublier que ton chant s'éleva. Cela passe. En vérité, chanter est un second souffle. Un souffle autour de rien. Un souffle en Dieu. Un vent.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to French (Français) copyright © 2010 by Pierre Mathé, (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: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926), no title, appears in Die Sonette an Orpheus 1, no. 3
This text was added to the website: 2010-06-12
Line count: 14
Word count: 121