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Sturm, wer gab dir den Athem?
Welle, wer gab dir Flügel?
Und du Vöglein droben im schimmernden Blau,
Wer rief dich über die Hügel?
Ich weiß, ach ich weiß . . .
Es geht eine alte Melodie,
Die war mit der Menschheit geboren,
Jahrtausende starben, sie hat sich nie
Im Lärmen des Tages verloren:
Sehnsucht, Sehnsucht,
Treibende Macht!
Gott, der in Fesseln
Der Knechtschaft lacht,
Zagenden heimlich die Schwingen lößt,
Trunkne hinab in den Abgrund stößt,
Sonne des Tages,
Seele der Nacht --
Sehnsucht, Sehnsucht,
Treibende Macht!
Authorship
- by Anna (Nuhn) Ritter (1865 - 1921), "Sehnsucht", appears in Vermischte Gedichte, no. 56 [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 Alexander von Fielitz (1860 - 1930), "Sehnsucht", op. 74 (Fünf Gedichte für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 5, published 1900 [ voice and piano ], Magdeburg, Heinrichshofen Verlag [sung text not yet checked]
- by Louise Pauline Marie Héritte-Viardot (1841 - 1918), "Sehnsucht", published 1998 [ voice and piano ], from Sieben Lieder, no. 7, Bryn Mawr, PA: Hildegard Publishing Company [sung text not yet checked]
- by Marie Charlotte Henriette von Kehler (1822 - 1882), "Sehnsucht", op. 18 (Sechs Lieder für 1 tiefe Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 6, published 1900 [ low voice and piano ], Kassel, Kramer-Bangert [sung text not yet checked]
- by Gustav Schaper , "Sehnsucht", op. 35 ([Zwei] Lieder für 1 mittlere Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 1, published 1900 [ medium voice and piano ], Magdeburg, Rathke [sung text not yet checked]
- by Heinrich Kaspar Schmid (1874 - 1953), "Sehnsucht", op. 20 (Kleine Lieder für eine Singstimme und Klavier) no. 4 (1904), published 1913 [ voice and piano ], München: Wunderhornverlag [sung text not yet checked]
- by Martha von Wittich (1858 - 1931), "Sehnsucht", op. 7 (Drei Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 1, published 1900 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Deneke [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in Danish (Dansk), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Johan Backer-Lunde.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Yearning", copyright © 2015
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Désir", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2011-07-06
Line count: 19
Word count: 86
Tempête, qui te donna le souffle ?
Vague, qui te donna des ailes ?
Et toi, petit oiseau dans l'étincelant azur,
Qui t'appelle par delà la colline ?
Je sais, ah, je sais ...
Il y a une vieille mélodie
Qui naquit avec l'humanité,
Des millénaires passèrent, elle ne s'est jamais
Perdue dans le tumulte du jour :
Désir, désir,
Force vive
Dieu qui dans les liens
Rit de la servitude,
Hésite et libère en secret les ailes,
Pousse ceux qui sont ivres dans l'abîme,
Soleil du jour,
Âme de la nuit --
Désir, désir,
Force vive !
Authorship
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to French (Français) copyright © 2012 by Pierre Mathé, (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:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Anna (Nuhn) Ritter (1865 - 1921), "Sehnsucht", appears in Vermischte Gedichte, no. 56
This text was added to the website: 2012-08-03
Line count: 19
Word count: 97