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by Christian Morgenstern (1871 - 1914)
Translation © by Pierre Mathé

War das die Liebe, die mich gestern...
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  FRE
War das die Liebe, die mich gestern streifte,
wie eines seidenen Gewandes Atem
im Dunkel, wie ein windvertragner Duft,
wie Harmonien aus der blauen Nacht,
woher, du weißt es nicht, doch stockt dein Blut
und horcht in die Geheimnisse der Dinge...
und all dein Wesen flutet zögernd aus,
du fühlst dich wie ein Strom die Welt durchrinnen
und ahnst doch noch ein Mehr-als-diese-Welt,
wie hinter feiner Schleier Wehr noch wartend,
ein Himmelreich voll Blüten, Früchten, Sonnen,
und lächelnd winkt, die dich so sehr gerührt.

About the headline (FAQ)

Text Authorship:

  • by Christian Morgenstern (1871 - 1914), "War das die Liebe...", appears in Nachlese zu Auf vielen Wegen [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 Walter Schulthess (1894 - 1971), "Aus der Sammlung "Mensch Wanderer": War das die Liebe", 1941-3, from Lieder nach Gedichten von Christian Morgenstern, no. 8 [sung text not yet checked]

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

  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Était-ce l'amour", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2004-12-01
Line count: 12
Word count: 84

Était‑ce l'amour
Language: French (Français)  after the German (Deutsch) 
Était-ce l'amour qui hier m'effleura
comme l'effluve d'une robe de soie
dans le noir, comme un parfum porté par le vent,
comme des harmonies sorties de la nuit bleue,
tu ne sais d'où cela vient, mais ton cœur s'arrête
et prête l'oreille aux secrets de ces choses ...
et tout ton être hésitant se liquéfie,
tu te sens comme un fleuve courant dans le monde
et pressens pourtant un plus-que-ce-monde,
comme attendant derrière la défense une fine gaze
un ciel empli de bourgeons, de fruits, de soleil,
et souriante, celle qui t'a tant touché, te fait signe.

Text 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: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

  • a text in German (Deutsch) by Christian Morgenstern (1871 - 1914), "War das die Liebe...", appears in Nachlese zu Auf vielen Wegen
    • Go to the text page.

 

This text was added to the website: 2012-09-27
Line count: 12
Word count: 96

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–Emily Ezust, Founder

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