Vor seiner Hütte ruhig im Schatten sitzt
Der Pflüger, dem Genügsamen raucht sein Herd.
Gastfreundlich tönt dem Wanderer im
Friedlichen Dorfe die Abendglocke.

Wohl kehren [jetzt]1 die Schiffer zum Hafen auch,
In fernen Städten fröhlich verrauscht des Markts
[Geschäftiger]2 Lärm; in stiller Laube
Glänzt das gesellige Mahl den Freunden.

Wohin denn ich? Es leben die Sterblichen
Von Lohn und Arbeit; wechselnd in Müh und Ruh
Ist alles freudig; warum schläft denn
Nimmer nur mir in der Brust der Stachel?

Am Abendhimmel blühet ein Frühling auf;
Unzählig blühen die Rosen, und ruhig scheint
Die goldene Welt; o dorthin nehmt mich,
Purpurne Wolken! und möge droben

In Licht und Luft zerrinnen mir Lieb und Leid'!
Doch, wie verscheucht von törichter Bitte, flieht
Der Zauber; dunkel wird's und einsam
[ Unter dem Himmel, wie immer, bin ich - ]3

Komm du nun, sanfter Schlummer! zu viel begehrt
Das Herz; doch endlich Jugend! verglühst du ja,
Du ruhelose, träumerische!
Friedlich und heiter ist dann das Alter.

G. Ligeti sets stanzas 4-6

About the headline (FAQ)

View original text (without footnotes)
¹ in some editions of Hölderlin: "izt"
² Greif: "Geschäft'ger"
³ omitted by Ligeti.

Text Authorship:

• by Friedrich Hölderlin (1770 - 1843), "Abendphantasie", appears in Gedichte 1784-1800 [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 Josef Matthias Hauer (1883 - 1959), "Abendphantasie", op. 23 (Vier Lieder) no. 1, published 1929 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Paul Hindemith (1895 - 1963), "Abendphantasie", 1933 [sung text not yet checked]
• by György Ligeti (1923 - 2006), "Abendphantasie", stanzas 4-6 [ choral, a cappella ], from Drei Phantasien nach Friedrich Hölderlin, no. 3 [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Wolfgang Nening (b. 1966), "Am Abendhimmel blühet ein Frühling auf", 1991/1992 [ mezzo-soprano and guitar; or mezzo-soprano and string trio; or high voice and piano ], from Fünf Hölderlin-Fragmente, no. 4, this setting begins on stanza 4 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Hermann Reutter (1900 - 1985), "Abendphantasie", op. 56 (Drei Gesänge nach Texten von Friedrich Hölderlin) no. 3, published 1944 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Hans Uwe Strübing (b. 1956), "Abendphantasie", op. 39 no. 3 (1999), first performed 2001 [ high voice and piano ], from Triptychon II. 3 Lieder zum Lebenslauf, für hohe Stimme und Klavier, no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Viktor Ullmann (1898 - 1944), "Abendphantasie", 1943, from Gesänge nach Gedichten von Friedrich Hölderlin, no. 3 [sung text checked 1 time]

The text above (or a part of it) is used in the following settings:

• by Olivier Greif (1950 - 2000), "Abendphantasie", op. 270 no. 7 (1991) [ voice and piano ], from Wie Vögel…, no. 7
  • View the full text. [sung text checked 1 time]
    

Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:

• Also set in French (Français), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Pierrette Mari.
  • Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
    

Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

• ENG English (Emily Ezust) , no title, copyright ©
• FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Fantaisie du soir", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• FRE French (Français) (Stéphane Goldet) (Pierre de Rosamel) , "Fantaisie pour le soir", copyright © 2015, (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: 24
Word count: 161

Before his cottage, in the shade, 
the contented ploughman sits, his hearth smoking.
The welcoming evening bells greet a traveler
into the peaceful village.
 
Now the boatmen turn too toward the harbor,
and in far-off towns the merry noise and bustle of the marketplace
die down; in the quiet grove
glitters a comradely meal for the friends.
 
Where then shall I go? Do not mortals live
by wages and work? alternating labor with rest
makes everything well; why then will
the sting of this thorn in my breast never sleep?
 
Up in the evening sky a token of Spring blossoms;
infinite roses blossom and the golden world seems
at peace; o take me there,
purple clouds! and up there
 
into light and air may my love and grief melt away!
But, as if my silly plea had scared it away,
the magic flees; it grows dark. Alone
beneath the sky I stand, as always.
 
Come now, mild slumber! too much does the heart demand;
but finally, youth will burn itself out,
you restless, dreamy thing!
and my old age will be peaceful and serene.