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Zögernd, [stille]1, In des Dunkels nächt'ger [Hülle]2 Sind wir hier; Und den Finger sanft gekrümmt, Leise, leise, Pochen wir An des Liebchens Kammerthür. Doch nun steigend, [Hebend, schwellend]3, Mit vereinter [Stimme Laut]4 Rufen aus wir hochvertraut:5 Schlaf' du nicht, Wenn der Neigung Stimme spricht! Sucht' ein Weiser nah' und ferne Menschen einst mit der Laterne, Wie viel selt'ner dann als Gold, Menschen uns geneigt und hold? D'rum, wenn Freundschaft, Liebe spricht, Freundin, Liebchen, schlaf' du nicht! - Aber was in allen Reichen Wär' dem Schlummer zu vergleichen? [Was du hast und weißt und bist, Zahlt nicht, was der Schlaf vergißt.]6 D'rum statt Worten und statt Gaben, Sollst du nun auch Ruhe haben; Noch ein Grüßchen, noch ein Wort, Es verstummt die frohe Weise, Leise, leise, Schleichen [wir]7 uns wieder fort!
Confirmed with Grillparzer's Sämmtliche Werke. Erster Band. Stuttgart. Verlag der J. G. Cotta'schen Buchhandlung. 1872, page 254; and with Grillparzers Sämmtliche Werke in zehn Bänden. Dritte Ausgabe. Erster Band. Stuttgart. Verlag der J. G. Cotta'schen Buchhandlung. 1878, pages 241-242.
Note: Schubert received a manuscript from Grillparzer, where the text may have been slightly different to what was published in Grillparzer's collected works. In the editions of 1872 and 1874 the poem has the subtitle "Musik von Franz Schubert" and the wrong dating 1824, the edition of 1878 has the correct dating 1827.
1 Schubert: "leise"2 Schubert (second version only): "Stille"
3 Schubert: "Schwellend, schwellend, hebend"
4 Schubert: "Stimme, laut,"
5 In Grillparzer's editions of 1872 and 1874 stanza 2 ends here and the subsequent two lines belong to stanza 3.
6 omitted by Schubert
7 Schubert (first version): "wir, ja schleichen wir"; Schubert (second version): "wir, schleichen wir"
Text Authorship:
- by Franz (Seraphicus) Grillparzer (1791 - 1872), "Ständchen", written 1827 [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 Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Ständchen", op. posth. 135, D 920 (1827), published c1840, first performed 1828 [ alto, chorus and piano ], A. Diabelli & Co., VN 6266, Wien; note: first version with ttbb chorus, second version with ssaa chorus [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Ständchen", D 921, note: D. 921 has been removed and included as the second version in D. 920 [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Joan Company) , "Serenata", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Serenade", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Serenade", copyright ©
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Sérénade", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Paolo Montanari) , "Serenata", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- SPA Spanish (Español) (Elisa Rapado) , "Serenata", copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Richard Morris , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 29
Word count: 138
Hesitantly quiet in the dark of the night's stillness, we are here, and, our fingers softly bent, gently, gently we knock at the beloved's chamber door. And now growing, swelling, swelling, with one combined voice, loudly we call with confidence; don't sleep when the voice of love speaks! A wise man once looked near and far with a lantern for true human beings; how much more rare than gold are those people whom we like and find lovely? So, when friendship and love speaks, my friend - my love - don't sleep! But what of all the riches could be as valuable as sleep? So instead of words and instead of gifts you should now also have rest. Just one more greeting, one more word; then our merry song for you falls silent. Quietly, quietly, we steal away, yes we steal away again!
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Emily Ezust
Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:
Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
from the LiederNet ArchiveFor any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Franz (Seraphicus) Grillparzer (1791 - 1872), "Ständchen", written 1827
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 27
Word count: 141