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Sang wohl, sang das Vögelein, Und verstummte. Ward dem Herzen Freude kund, Und [Vergessen.]1 Vöglein, das so gerne singt, Warum schweigt es? Herz, was ist mit dir [geschehn]2, Daß du traurig? Ach, das Vöglein tödtete Rauher Schneesturm, Und das Herz des [Jünglings]3 brach Böses Reden. Wär' das Vöglein gern [geflogen]4 Fort zum Meere, Wär' der [Jüngling]5 gern entflohen In die Wälder. In dem Meere treibt die Flut, Doch nicht Schneesturm -- Wilde Thiere birgt der Wald, Doch nicht Menschen.6
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Friedrich Bodenstedt, Ausgewählte Dichtungen, Berlin: Verlag der Königlichen Gheimen Ober-Hofbuchdruckerei (R. v. Decker), 1864, page 176.
1 Rubinstein: "vergessen"2 Rubinstein: "geschehen"
3 Rubinstein: "Burschen"
4 Rubinstein: "geflohn"
5 Rubinstein: "Bursche"
6 Rubinstein adds: "Ach! In dem Meer kein Schneesturm, / Ach! Im Walde keine Menschen. Ja!"
Text Authorship:
- by Friedrich Martin von Bodenstedt (1819 - 1892), no title, appears in Alte und neue Gedichte, in 6. Volksweisen als Intermezzo, no. 7 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in Russian (Русский) by Anton Antonovich Delvig (1798 - 1831), "Русская песня", first published 1824 and misattributed to Aleksandr Sergeyevich Pushkin (1799 - 1837)
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Ingeborg Bronsart von Schellendorf (1840 - 1913), "Sang wohl, sang das Vöglein", op. 25 (Drei Lieder) no. 1, published 1902 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Brüssel, London, New York: Breifkopf & Härtel [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Anton Grigoryevich Rubinstein (1829 - 1894), "Sang das Vögelein", op. 48 no. 2, from Двенадцать дуэтов (Dvenadcat' du`etov) = Twelve duets, no. 2, also set in Russian (Русский) [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "[It] sang, [it] sang, the little bird", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2009-09-22
Line count: 20
Word count: 85
[It] sang, [it] sang, the little bird, And fell silent. My heart received tidings of joy, [And [tidings of] forgetting]1. Little bird that sings so gladly, Why has it fallen silent? Heart, what has happened to you That you are sad? Ah! The little bird was killed By a harsh snowstorm, And the heart of the [young man]2 was broken By evil gossip. The little bird would gladly have [flown]3 Away to the sea, The [young man]2 would gladly have fled Into the woods. In the sea are driving tides, But no snowstorms -- The forest conceals wild animals, But not people4.
1 Rubinstein: "And forgot them"
2 Rubinstein: "lad"
3 Rubinstein: "fled"
4 Rubinstein adds: "Ah! In the sea no snowstorms, / Ah! In the woods no people. Yes!"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2013 by Sharon Krebs, (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 Friedrich Martin von Bodenstedt (1819 - 1892), no title, appears in Alte und neue Gedichte, in 6. Volksweisen als Intermezzo, no. 7
Based on:
- a text in Russian (Русский) by Anton Antonovich Delvig (1798 - 1831), "Русская песня", first published 1824 and misattributed to Aleksandr Sergeyevich Pushkin (1799 - 1837)
This text was added to the website: 2013-04-01
Line count: 20
Word count: 108