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by Georg Herwegh (1817 - 1875)
Translation © by Sharon Krebs
Ich möchte hingehn wie das Abendrot
Language: German (Deutsch)
Ich möchte hingehn wie das Abendrot Und wie der Tag [in]1 seinen letzten Gluten - O leichter, sanfter, ungefühlter Tod! Mich in den Schoß des Ewigen verbluten. Ich möchte hingehn wie der heitre Stern, Im vollsten Glanz, in ungeschwächtem Blinken, So still und schmerzlos möchte gern Ich in des Himmels blaue Tiefe sinken. Ich möchte hingehn wie der Blume Duft, Die freudig sich dem schönen Kelch entringet Und auf dem Fittig blütenschwangrer Luft Als Weihrauch auf des Herrn Altar sich schwinget. Ich möchte hingehn wie der Tau im Tal, Wenn durstig ihm des Morgens Feuer winken; O wollte Gott, wie ihn der Sonnenstrahl, Auch meine lebensmüde Seele trinken! Ich möchte hingehn wie der bange Ton, Der aus den Saiten einer Harfe dringet, Und, kaum dem irdischen Metall entflohn, Ein Wohllaut in des Schöpfers Brust [erklinget]2. Du wirst nicht hingehn wie das Abendrot, Du wirst nicht [stille]3 wie der Stern versinken, [Du stirbst nicht einer Blume leichten Tod, Kein Morgenstrahl wird deine Seele trinken.]4 [Wohl wirst du hingehn, hingehn ohne Spur, Doch wird das Elend deine Kraft erst schwächen,]4 Sanft stirbt es einzig sich in der Natur, Das arme Menschenherz muß stückweis brechen.
T. Billroth sets stanzas 1, 4, 2, 6, 7
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)1 Billroth, Liszt: "mit"
2 Liszt: "verklinget"
3 Liszt: "hingehn"
4 omitted by Billroth.
Authorship:
- by Georg Herwegh (1817 - 1875), no title, written 1839, appears in Gedichte eines Lebendigen, in Strofen aus der Fremde, no. 2 [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 Max Joseph Beer (1851 - 1908), "Ich möchte hingehn wie das Abendroth", op. 12, published 1878 [ baritone and piano ], Berlin, Bote & Bock [sung text not yet checked]
- by Theodor Billroth (1829 - 1894), "Todessehnsucht", 1885, published 1885?, stanzas 1, 4, 2, 6, 7 [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Emil Ehrismann , "Ich möchte hingehn, wie das Abendroth ", published 1876 [ high voice and piano ], from Zwölf Lieder für 1 hohe Stimme mit Pianoforte, no. 12, Berlin, Luckhardt [sung text not yet checked]
- by Franz (Ferenc) Liszt (1811 - 1886), "Ich möchte hingehn", S. 296 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Klaus Miehling (b. 1963), "Ich möchte hingehn", op. 300 no. 4 (2019), from Vier Lieder nach Georg Herwegh, no. 4 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Natalie Quiteria, Vicomtesse de Santa , "Ich möchte hingeh'n wie das Abendroth", op. 32 (Vier Lieder für 1 Singstimme und Pianofortebegleitung) no. 2, published 1884 [ voice and piano ], Baden-Baden, Sommermeyer [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in Russian (Русский), a translation by Aleksei Konstantinovich Tolstoy, Count (1817 - 1875) , no title ; composed by Klaus Miehling.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- POR Portuguese (Português) (Margarida Moreno) , "Quero passar", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- RUS Russian (Русский) (Jelena Jermolajeva) , "Я хотел бы уйти. Строфы с чужбины - 2", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 28
Word count: 192
I would like to pass on like the sunset
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
I would like to pass on like the sunset And like the day with its last glowing - Oh light, gentle, imperceptible death- To bleed myself out into the bosom of eternity! I would like to pass on like the bright star In the full glow, in undimmed twinkling, So quietly and painlessly would I gladly Sink into the deep blue of heaven! I would like to pass on like the scent of a flower That joyfully wrings itself from the beautiful calyx, And on the wings of blossom-laden breezes Swings itself aloft to the Lord's altar as incense. I would like to pass on like the dew of the valley, When the fires of morning thirstily signal to it - Oh, would God, as the sunbeam drinks [the dewdrop] Also drink my life-weary soul! I would like to pass on like the timid tone That emerges from the strings of a harp, And, barely having escaped from earthly metal, Already dies away euphoniously in the Creator's bosom. You shall not pass on like the sunset, You shall not pass on like the sinking of a star, You shall not die the easy death of a flower, No morning sunbeam shall drink up your soul! You shall verily pass on, pass on without a trace, But wretchedness shall first weaken your vigour; Solely in nature can dying be gentle, The poor human heart must break piece by piece!
About the headline (FAQ)
Translated titles:"Ich möchte hingehn wie das Abendroth" = "I would like to pass on like the sunset"
"Todessehnsucht" = "Yearning for death"
"Ich möchte hingehn" = "I would like to pass on"
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2011 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:
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Georg Herwegh (1817 - 1875), no title, written 1839, appears in Gedichte eines Lebendigen, in Strofen aus der Fremde, no. 2
This text was added to the website: 2011-04-28
Line count: 28
Word count: 238