by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832)
Wer nie sein Brod mit Thränen aß
Language: German (Deutsch)
Wer nie sein Brod [mit]1 Thränen aß, Wer [nie die kummervollen Nächte]2 Auf seinem [Bette]3 weinend saß, Der kennt euch nicht, ihr himmlischen Mächte! Ihr führt ins Leben uns hinein, Ihr laßt den Armen schuldig werden, Dann überlaßt ihr ihn der Pein: Denn alle Schuld rächt sich auf Erden.
J. Sibelius sets stanza 1
F. Lachner sets stanza 1
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Goethe's Werke. Vollständige Ausgabe letzter Hand. Zweyter Band. Stuttgart und Tübingen, in der J.G.Cotta'schen Buchhandlung. 1827, page 122; and with Goethe's Werke. Vollständige Ausgabe letzter Hand. Achtzehnter Band. Stuttgart und Tübingen, in der J.G.Cotta'schen Buchhandlung. 1828, pages 217-218.
First published in Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre. Ein Roman. Herausgegeben von Goethe. Erster Band. Berlin. Bey Johann Friedrich Unger. 1795, page 346. The poem appears in Book 2, Chapter 13 of Goethe's novel.
See also Baggesen's parody, Leiden.
1 Lachner: "in"2 Lachner: "nicht die kummervollen Nächte, wer nicht in kummervollen Nächten"
3 Droste-Hülshoff: "Lager"
Text Authorship:
- by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), "Harfenspieler", written <<1783, appears in Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre, first published 1795 [author's text checked 2 times 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 Andreas Peter Berggreen (1801 - 1880), "Wer nie sein Brot mit Tränen aß", published 1872, in Gedichte von Göthe, Kopenhagen, Reitzel, pp. 18f. [sung text not yet checked]
- by Rudolph Bergh (1859 - 1924), "Wer nie sein Brot mit Tränen aß", op. 17 (Fünf Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte ) no. 1, published 1904 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Verlag Dreililien [sung text not yet checked]
- by Michael Brough (b. 1960), no title, op. 14 no. 2 (2000) [ voice and piano ], from Harfenspieler -- 3 Lieder, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
- by (Friedrich) August Bungert (1845 - 1915), "Der Harfner", op. 1 no. 1, published 1870 [ voice and piano ], from Junge Lieder : Erstes Buch, no. 1, Leipzig, Breitkopf und Härtel [sung text not yet checked]
- by (August Joseph) Norbert Burgmüller (1810 - 1836), "Harfenspieler II", op. 6 (Fünf Lieder ) no. 1 (1827-36?) [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Franz Aloys Theodor Commer (1813 - 1887), "Wer nie sein Brod mit Thränen ass", op. 86 no. 1, published 1879 [ voice and piano ], from Drei Lieder aus Goethe's Wilhelm Meister, für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte, no. 1, Berlin, Trautwein [sung text not yet checked]
- by Wilhelm Czerwinski (1837 - 1893), "Wer nie sein Brot mit Thränen aß", op. 16 (Drei Lieder für Mezzo-Sopran (oder Bariton) mit Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1875 [ mezzo-soprano or baritone and piano ], Wien, Ludewig & Schmidt , also set in Polish (Polski) [sung text not yet checked]
- by Anton Diabelli (1781 - 1858), "Menschenschicksal" [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Annette Elisabeth, Freiin von Droste-Hülshoff (1797 - 1848), "Gesang des Harfners" [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Zdenko Antonín Václav Fibich (1850 - 1900), "Lied des Harfners (Wer nie sein Brot mit Tränen aß)", H. 134 no. 4 (1871), published 1893, first performed 1914, from Aus Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahren, no. 4 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Friedrich Theodor Fröhlich (1803 - 1836), "Wer nie sein Brod mit Thränen", op. 3 no. 3 [ bass and piano ], from Acht deutsche Canzonetten für Bass, no. 3, Leipzig: Friedrich Hofmeister [sung text not yet checked]
- by Gustav Jansen [not F. G. Jansen] , "Der Harfner", published 1863 [ baritone or alto and piano ], from Musikalisches Göthe-Album. Eine Sammlung Göthescher Lieder, no. 6, Berlin, Mendel [sung text not yet checked]
- by (Karl) Emil Kauffmann (1836 - 1909), "Lied des Harfenspielers", op. 5 (8 Gesänge für 4 Männerstimme) no. 6, published 1865 [ vocal quartet for male voices ], Stuttgart, Zumsteeg [sung text not yet checked]
- by Aloys Kothe , "Der Harfner", op. 8 (Lieder und Gesänge für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 5, published 1881 [ mezzo-soprano or alto or baritone and piano ], Leobschütz, Kothe [sung text not yet checked]
- by Franz Paul Lachner (1803 - 1890), "Wer nie sein Brot in Tränen aß", op. 99 (3 Canon für 3 Sopranstimmen mit Begleitung des Pianoforte) no. 1, stanza 1 [ 3 sopranos and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Leopold Lenz (1803 - 1862), "Wer nie sein Brot mit Tränen aß", op. 12 no. 2, published 1832 [ low soprano or baritone and piano ], from Mignon der Harfner und Philine ein Cyclus von acht Gesaengen aus "Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre", no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Franz (Ferenc) Liszt (1811 - 1886), "Wer nie sein Brot mit Tränen aß", S. 297 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Heinrich August Marschner (1795 - 1861), "Des Harfners Klage", op. 160 (4 Gesänge für Bariton) no. 4, published 1852 [ baritone and piano ], Leipzig, Hofmeister [sung text not yet checked]
- by Arnold Mendelssohn (1855 - 1933), "Wer nie sein Brot mit Tränen aß", published 1900 [ voice and piano ], from Lieder und Gesänge, no. 26a, Berlin, Ries & Erler [sung text not yet checked]
- by Josef Ivar Müller (1892 - 1969), "Wer nie sein Brot mit Tränen ass", op. 40 no. 2, published [1935] [ men's chorus and horn or violoncello ], from Drei Chöre, no. 2, Zürich and Leipzig : Hug [sung text not yet checked]
- by Victor Ernst Nessler (1841 - 1890), "Wer nie sein Brot mit Tränen aß" [sung text not yet checked]
- by Xaver Pentenrieder (1813 - 1867), "Aus Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre", published 1834 [ voice and piano ], from Sechs teutsche Lieder für eine Singstimme mit Begleitung des Piano-Forte componirt ' und Ihrer Majestaet der Frau Koeniginn Wittwe Caroline Friederike Wilhelmine von Bayern in tiefster Ehrfurcht gewidmet von X. Pentenrieder, no. 1, München: In der K. B. Hof-Musikalien und Musik-Instrumenten-Handlung von Falter und Sohn [sung text not yet checked]
- by Bruno Ramann (1832 - 1897), "Lied des Harfenspielers", op. 67 no. 5, published 1887 [ voice and piano ], from Spielmanns-Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebleitung, no. 5, Leipzig, W. Dietrich [sung text not yet checked]
- by Johann Friedrich Reichardt (1752 - 1814), "Klage", published 1795-6 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Anton Grigoryevich Rubinstein (1829 - 1894), "Wer nie sein Brot mit Tränen aß", op. 91 no. 2, from Die Gedichte und das Requiem fur Mignon aus Goethe's "Wilhelm Meister's Lehrjahre", no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Harfenspieler III", op. 12 (Harfenspieler aus Goethe's Wilhelm Meister) no. 2, D 480, D 478 no. 2 (1816), published 1822 [ voice and piano ], 3 versions: two in 1816, a further one in 1822. note: D. 480 has been removed and included in D. 478 as no. 2 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856), "Wer nie sein Brot mit Tränen aß", op. 98a no. 4 (1849), published 1851 [ baritone and piano ], from Lieder und Gesänge aus dem "Wilhelm Meister" von Goethe, no. 4, Leipzig, Breitkopf und Härtel [sung text not yet checked]
- by Jean Sibelius (1865 - 1957), "Wer nie sein Brot mit Tränen aß", op. 113 no. 7, stanza 1 [ tenor and harmonium or organ ], from Vapaamuurarirituaalimusiikkia mieskuorolle, pianolle ja uruille (Masonic ritual music), no. 7, also set in Finnish (Suomi) [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Hans August Friedrich Zincke genannt Sommer (1837 - 1922), "Des Harfners Gesang" [ voice and orchestra ], confiirmed with a CD booklet [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Friedrich Wilhelm Stade (1817 - 1902), "Aus Wilhelm Meister", published 1842 [ voice and piano ], from Lieder, 1tes Heft , no. 3, Leipzig, Breitkopf und Härtel [sung text not yet checked]
- by Frank Valentin Van der Stucken (1858 - 1929), "Wer nie sein Brod mit Thränen ass", op. 2 (Drei Gesänge für vierstimmigen Männerchor) no. 2, published 1879 [ four-part men's chorus ], Leipzig, Kistner, also set in Dutch (Nederlands) [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hugo Wolf (1860 - 1903), "Harfenspieler III", published 1891 [ voice and piano ], from Goethe-Lieder, no. 3, Mainz, Schott [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Karl Friedrich Zelter (1758 - 1832), Z 120 no. 9 (1795), from 12 Lieder, no. 9 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Karl Friedrich Zelter (1758 - 1832), "Klage", 1816 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Simon Anton Zimmermann (1807 - 1876), "Des Harfners Lied", op. 35 (Drei Gesänge für vierstimmigen Männerchor) no. 2, published 1845 [ four-part men's chorus ], Mainz, Schott [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Hermann Zumpe , "Der Harfner" [ voice and piano ], from Vier Lieder, no. 3 [sung text checked 1 time]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in Dutch (Nederlands), a translation possibly by Victor Alexis Dela Montagne (1854 - 1915); composed by Frank Valentin Van der Stucken.
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
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- Also set in English, a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist , copyright © ; composed by Ralph Shapey.
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Also set in Finnish (Suomi), a translation by Eino Leino (1878 - 1926) ; composed by Jean Sibelius.
- Also set in Polish (Polski), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Wilhelm Czerwinski.
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- CZE Czech (Čeština) (Jan Evangelista Nečas) , "Harfeník"
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Wie nooit zijn brood in tranen at", copyright © 2005, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "He who never ate his bread with tears", copyright ©
- ENG English [singable] (Walter A. Aue) , copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission [an adaptation]
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Celui qui n'a jamais mangé son pain avec des larmes", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- HUN Hungarian (Magyar) (Tamás Rédey) , copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , "Chi non mangiò mai pane bagnato di lacrime", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor] , Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 8
Word count: 49