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Mein Herz ist schwer! auf! Von der Wand Die Laute, [sie]1 mag ich noch hören; Entlocke mit geschickter Hand Ihr Töne, die [den Schmerz]2 bethören! Kann noch mein Herz ein Hoffen nähren, Es [zaubern’s]3 diese Töne her, Und birgt mein trocknes Auge Zähren, Sie fließen, und mich brennt's nicht mehr! Nur tief sey, wild der Töne Fluß, Und von der Freude weggekehret! Ja, Sänger, daß ich weinen muß, Sonst wird das schwere Herz verzehret! Denn sieh! vom Kummer ward's genähret; Mit stummem Wachen trug es lang; [Jetzt ward's]4 vom Aeussersten belehret -- Da [bricht's, wo nicht, heilt's im Gesang!]5
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Julius Körner (translator), Lord Byron’s Poesien, Erstes Bändchen, Zwickau: im Verlage der Gebrüder Schumann, 1821, page 15
1 Schumann: "nur sie allein"2 Schumann: "das Herz"
3 Schumann: "zaubern"
4 Schumann: "Und jetzt"
5 Schumann: "brech' es oder heil' im Sang"
Text Authorship:
- by Karl Julius Körner (1793 - 1873), "Die Laute", appears in Israelitische Gesänge, no. 9, first published 1821 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788 - 1824), "My soul is dark", appears in Hebrew Melodies, no. 9, adaptation of I Samuel 16:14-23, first published 1815
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856), "Mein Herz ist schwer", subtitle: "Aus den hebräischen Gesängen", op. 25 no. 15 (1840), published 1840 [ voice and piano ], from Myrten, no. 15, Leipzig, Kistner [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Marta Garcia Cadena) , "De les melodies hebrees", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Mijn hart is zwaar", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Mon cœur est sombre", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "E' pesante il mio cuore", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2003-11-19
Line count: 16
Word count: 103
My heart is heavy! arise! Take the lute From the wall, [it]1 I still like to hear; With a skilful hand entice from it Sounds that beguile [my pain]2. If my heart can still nurture a hope, These sounds shall magically call it forth, And if my dry eyes harbour tears, They shall flow, and I shall no longer be burnt [by pain]! Only deep, wild be the flow of the notes, And turned away from joy! Yea, singer, [they must be such] that I must weep, Otherwise my heavy heart shall be consumed! For look! It was nourished by anguish; With mute watching it long bore [its burden]; [Now that it has]3 been taught by the extremes [of pain] -- It [breaks, if not, it heals]4 in song.
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)1 Schumann: "only it alone"
2 Schumann: "the heart "
3 Schumann: "And now, having"
4 Schumann: "must break or heal"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2010 by Sharon Krebs, (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 Karl Julius Körner (1793 - 1873), "Die Laute", appears in Israelitische Gesänge, no. 9, first published 1821
Based on:
- a text in English by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788 - 1824), "My soul is dark", appears in Hebrew Melodies, no. 9, adaptation of I Samuel 16:14-23, first published 1815
This text was added to the website: 2010-06-13
Line count: 16
Word count: 133