by Thomas Moore (1779 - 1852)
Translation by Ferdinand Freiligrath (1810 - 1876)
How oft, when watching stars
Language: English
Our translations: FRE
Oft, when the watching stars grow pale, And round me sleeps the moonlight scene, To hear a flute through yonder vale I from my casement lean. "Come, come, my love!" each note then seems to say, "Oh, come, my love! the night wears fast away!" Never to mortal ear Could words, tho' warm they be, Speak Passion's language half so clear As do those notes to me! Then quick my own light lute I seek, And strike the chords with loudest swell; And, tho' they naught to others speak, He knows their language well. "I come, my love!" each note then seems to say, "I come, my love! -- thine, thine till break of day." Oh, weak the power of words, The hues of painting dim, Compar'd to what those simple chords Then say and paint to him!
Confirmed with Thomas Moore, A New Edition from the last London Edition, Boston: Lee and Shepard; New York: Lee, Shepard, & Dillingham, 1876.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
Text Authorship:
- by Thomas Moore (1779 - 1852), "How oft, when watching stars", subtitle: "Savoyard air", appears in National Airs [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):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Ferdinand Freiligrath (1810 - 1876) , "How oft, when watching stars" ; composed by Carl Evers, Adolf Jensen.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Souvent, lorsque les étoiles de garde pâlissent", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2011-07-17
Line count: 20
Word count: 137
Wie manchmal, wenn des Mondes Strahl
Language: German (Deutsch) after the English
Wie manchmal, wenn des Mondes Strahl Die Berge zitternd küßt ringsum, Zu lauschen einer Flöt' im Thal, Lehn' ich am Erker stumm! "O komm, mein Lieb!" sagt leise flehend jeder Ton. "O komm, mein Lieb! die Nacht ist bald entflohn!" Nein, keiner Rede Krast, Wie warm, wie feurig auch, Malt glühend so die Leidenschaft, Wie dieser Töne Hauch! Dann -- wahrlich nicht von ungefähr! -- Ergreif' auch ich die Laute -- wohl Ist Andern fremd ihr Klang, doch Er Kennt ihre Sprache wohl! "Ich komme, Lieb!" sagt leis verheißend jeder Ton; "Ich komme! Dein, dein, bis die Nacht entflohn!" O, schwach das mächt'ge Wort, Und matt der Farben Licht Bei dem, was zitternd mein Akkord Alsdann ihm malt und spricht!
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Ferdinand Freiligrath (1810 - 1876), "How oft, when watching stars" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by Thomas Moore (1779 - 1852), "How oft, when watching stars", subtitle: "Savoyard air", appears in National Airs
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Carl Evers (1819 - 1875), "Wie manchmal, wenn des Mondesstrahl", op. 48 no. 1, published 1853 [ voice and piano ], from Zwei Gedichte von Freiligrath, no. 1, Leipzig, Kistner [sung text not yet checked]
- by Adolf Jensen (1837 - 1879), "Wie manchmal, wenn des Mondes Strahl", op. 50 no. 6, published 1876 [ voice and piano ], from Sieben Lieder von Thomas Moore, no. 6, Breslau, Hainauer [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2011-07-17
Line count: 20
Word count: 117