by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796)
Translation by Heinrich Julius Heintze (1811 - 1860)
The gloomy night is gath'ring fast
Language: English
Our translations: FRE
The gloomy night is gath'ring fast, Loud roars the wild, inconstant blast, Yon murky cloud is foul with rain, I see it driving o'er the plain; The hunter now has left the moor. The scatt'red coveys meet secure; While here I wander, prest with care, Along the lonely banks of Ayr. The Autumn mourns her rip'ning corn By early Winter's ravage torn; Across her placid, azure sky, She sees the scowling tempest fly: Chill runs my blood to hear it rave; I think upon the stormy wave, Where many a danger I must dare, Far from the bonie banks of Ayr. 'Tis not the surging billow's roar, 'Tis not that fatal, deadly shore; Tho' death in ev'ry shape appear, The wretched have no more to fear: But round my heart the ties are bound, That heart transpierc'd with many a wound; These bleed afresh, those ties I tear, To leave the bonie banks of Ayr. Farewell, old Coila's hills and dales, Her healthy moors and winding vales; The scenes where wretched Fancy roves, Pursuing past, unhappy loves! Farewell, my friends! farewell, my foes! My peace with these, my love with those: The bursting tears my heart declare -- Farewell, the bonie banks of Ayr!
About the headline (FAQ)
Tune: "Roslin Castle."Confirmed with Robert Burns, The Poetical Works of Robert Burns, Humphrey Milford, Oxford University Press, 1919, page 342, titled "The gloomy night". In some other editions the title is "Farewell to the Banks of Ayr"
Text Authorship:
- by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), title 1: "The gloomy night", title 2: "Farewell to the Banks of Ayr" [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 Henry Hugo Pierson (1816 - 1873), as Henry Hugo Pearson, "The Banks of Ayr", published 1842 [ voice and piano ], from 6 Lieder von Freiligrath nach R. Burns, no. 1, Leipzig, Kistner, also set in German (Deutsch) [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Ferdinand Freiligrath (1810 - 1876) , no title, appears in Gedichte, in Robert Burns. Elf Lieder [later 13 Lieder], no. 4, first published 1838 ; composed by Adolf Jensen, Luise Adolpha Le Beau, Henry Hugo Pierson, as Henry Hugo Pearson.
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Heinrich Julius Heintze (1811 - 1860) , "Schnell bricht die dunkle Nacht", appears in Lieder und Balladen des Schotten Robert Burns, Braunschweig: George Westermann, first published 1840 ; composed by John Böie.
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Heinrich Leuthold (1827 - 1879) ; composed by Wilhelm Sturm.
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Adieu aux rive de l'Ayr", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Pierre Mathé [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2006-12-28
Line count: 32
Word count: 203
Schnell bricht die dunkle Nacht herein
Language: German (Deutsch) after the English
Schnell bricht die dunkle Nacht herein, Laut braust der Sturmwind durch den Hain; Mit Regen dräut die Wolke dort, Schwarz zieht sie durch die Ebne fort; Schon kehrt' der Jäger heim vom Moor, Scheu kömmt ein Hühnervolk hervor; Und ich geh' trüb und sorgenschwer Hinab die stillen Au'n des Ayr. Der Herbst beweint sein reifend Korn, Das früh geknickt des Winters Zorn; Am stillen, blauen Himmel sieht Den Sturmwind er, der murrend flieht. Wenn er so heult, gerinnt mein Blut -- Ich denke der empörten Fluth, Die mir Gefahr droht auf dem Meer, Fern von den schönen Au'n des Ayr. Nicht schreckt's mich, daß die Brandung brüllt, Daß jener Strand so tödtlich wild; Ob vielgestaltig dräut der Tod, Nichts fürchtet mehr der Sohn der Noth! Nein, Fesseln trägt mein wundes Herz, Und blutend bebt's in frischem Schmerz; Denn brechen muß ich sie nunmehr, Und fliehn den schönen Au'n des Ayr. Lebt wohl nun, Coila's Berg und Höhn, Ihr Thäler, Heiden, Moor und Seen, Wo meine Phantasie so trüb Gedenkt der unheilvollsten Lieb'! Lebwohl euch Allen, Freund und Feind! Daß Euch in Fried' und Lieb' vereint Mein Herz, zeugt diese glühnde Zähr'; Lebt wohl, ihr schönen Au'n des Ayr!
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with Lieder und Balladen des Schotten Robert Burns, übertragen von Heinrich Julius Heintze, Braunschweig: George Westermann, 1840, pages 60 - 61.
Text Authorship:
- by Heinrich Julius Heintze (1811 - 1860), "Schnell bricht die dunkle Nacht", appears in Lieder und Balladen des Schotten Robert Burns, Braunschweig: George Westermann, first published 1840 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), title 1: "The gloomy night", title 2: "Farewell to the Banks of Ayr"
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by John Böie (1822 - 1900), "Schnell bricht die dunkle Nacht herein", op. 5 (Sechs Lieder) no. 1, published 1846 [ voice and piano ], Hamburg, Böhme [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2020-04-16
Line count: 32
Word count: 198