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Unter Blüten des Mais spielt' ich mit ihrer Hand, Koste [liebend]1 mit ihr, schaute mein schwebendes Bild im Auge des Mädchens, Raubt' ihr bebend den ersten Kuß. Zuckend fliegt nun der Kuß, wie ein versengend Feu'r, Mir durch Mark und Gebein. Du, die Unsterblichkeit Durch die Lippen mir sprühte, Wehe, wehe mir Kühlung zu!
Note: this text was published posthumously in an altered form by Johann Heinrich Voss.
1 Bachmann (and some editions of Hölty): "liebelnd"Text Authorship:
- by Ludwig Heinrich Christoph Hölty (1748 - 1776), written 1776, first published 1778 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
- by Johann Heinrich Voss (1751 - 1826), written 1776, first published 1778 [author's text not yet checked 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 Gottlob Bachmann (1763 - 1840), "Der Kuß", op. 33 no. 3 [ voice and piano ], from Sechs Oden, beym Clavier zu singen, no. 3 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897), "Der Kuß", op. 19 (Fünf Gedichte) no. 1 (1858), published 1862 [ voice and piano ], Bonn, Simrock [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Georg Christoph Grossheim (1764 - 1841), "Der Kuß", 1805/6? [sung text not yet checked]
- by Max Kretschmar , "Der Kuß", op. 16 (Drei Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1895 [ voice and piano ], Dessau, Kahle's Verlag [sung text not yet checked]
- by Anton Urspruch (1850 - 1907), "Der Kuss", op. 16 no. 1, published 1882 [ men's chorus (2T3B) ], Hamburg, Cranz [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "El bes", copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "De kus", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "The kiss", copyright ©
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Le baiser", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Il bacio", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- SPA Spanish (Español) (Alfonso Sebastián) , "El beso", copyright © 2021, (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: 8
Word count: 55
Under the blossoms of May, I toyed with her hand, Flirted lovingly with her, observed my floating Reflection in the maiden's eye, Stole tremblingly my first kiss. Now that kiss flies twitchily through me like a scorching fire, Through my marrow and my bones. Immortality have you Sprinkled upon my lips; Breathe now to cool them!
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 Ludwig Heinrich Christoph Hölty (1748 - 1776), written 1776, first published 1778 and by Johann Heinrich Voss (1751 - 1826), written 1776, first published 1778
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 8
Word count: 56