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Geh' ich einsam durch die schwarzen Gassen, Schweigt die Stadt, als wär' sie unbewohnt, Aus der Ferne rauschen nur die Wasser, Und am Himmel zieht der bleiche Mond. Bleib' ich lang vor jenem Hause stehen, Drin das [liebe, liebe]1 Liebchen wohnt, Weiß nicht, daß sein Treuer [ferne]2 ziehet, Stumm und harmvoll, wie der bleiche Mond. Breit' ich lange sehnend meine Arme Nach dem lieben, lieben Liebchen aus, Und nun sprech' ich: "Lebet wohl, ihr Gassen! Lebe wohl, du [stilles, stilles]3 Haus! Und du Kämmerlein im Haus dort oben, Nach dem oft das warme Herze schwoll, Und du Fensterlein, draus Liebchen schaute, Und du Türe, draus sie ging, leb' wohl!" Geh' ich bang nun nach den alten Mauern, Schauend rückwärts oft mit nassem Blick, Schließt der Wächter hinter mir die Tore, Weiß nicht, daß mein Herze noch zurück.
W. Baumgartner sets stanzas 1-3, 5
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Justinus Kerner Werke, Zweiter Teil, Gedichte, ed. Raimund Pissin, Berlin, Leipzig, Wien, Stuttgart: Deutsches Verlagshaus Bong & Co., 1914, page 126
1 Baumgartner: "liebe"2 Baumgartner: "fernhin"
3 Baumgartner: "stilles"
Text Authorship:
- by Justinus (Andreas Christian) Kerner (1786 - 1862), "Abschied", appears in Gedichte, in Die lyrischen Gedichte [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 Wilhelm Baumgartner (1820 - 1867), "Abschied", op. 11 (6 Lieder für 4 Männerstimmen) no. 4, published 1852, stanzas 1-3,5 [ vocal quartet for male voices a cappella ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by (Friedrich) August Bungert (1845 - 1915), "Geh' ich einsam", op. 1 no. 3, published 1870 [ voice and piano ], from Junge Lieder : Erstes Buch, no. 3, Leipzig, Breitkopf und Härtel [sung text not yet checked]
- by Joseph (or Josef) Gänsbacher (1829 - 1911), "Abschied", op. 8 (Fünf Lieder) no. 1, published 1891 [ voice and piano ], Wien, Rebay & Robitschek [sung text not yet checked]
- by Eduard Rappoldi (1831 - 1903), "Abschied", op. 4 (Acht Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 6, published 1874 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Bote & Bock [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2008-07-30
Line count: 20
Word count: 137
When I walk, lonely, through the black alleyways, The city is as silent as if no one lived there; Only from the distance water rushes, And the pale moon moves across the heavens. I remain standing before that house In which the dear, [dear]1 beloved lives, Who doesn't know that her faithful one must travel far away, As mute and full of sorrow as the pale moon. For a long time I stretch my arms yearningly Toward the dear, dear beloved, And now I say: "Farewell, you alleyways! Farewell, you quiet, [quiet]1 house! And you little chamber high up there in the house, Toward which often my warm heart swelled, And you little window, from out of which my beloved looked, And you door, from out of which she passed, farewell!" When with trepidation I now walk toward the old city walls, Often looking behind me with tearwet eyes, The watchman locks the gate behind me, Not knowing that my heart remained behind.
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)
Translated titles:
"Abschied" = "Farewell"
"Geh' ich einsam" = "When I walk, lonely"
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 Justinus (Andreas Christian) Kerner (1786 - 1862), "Abschied", appears in Gedichte, in Die lyrischen Gedichte
This text was added to the website: 2013-10-14
Line count: 20
Word count: 163