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Ein wonnig Lied, wie Sirenensang, Am frühen Morgen im Hain erklang, Noch füllt's mein trunkenes Ohr; Die Birken hoch an der Felsenwand Und tief die Erlen am Bachesrand, Die sangen es Chor um Chor: "Herauf, herauf, ins freie Revier, In lichten Gewändern schimmern wir, Die Locken durchblitzt vom Thau; Der Nebel uns tief in Füßen zieht, Herauf, wir singen der Freiheit Lied, Umlacht vom himmlisches Blau!" "Herab in den kühlen duftigen Grund, Wir harren, vereint zu traulichem Bund, In dunkel-wallender Pracht; Fern über uns sprüht der Sonne Gluth, Wir singen, was wohl dem Herzen thut, Durchhaucht von webender Nacht!" "Hier oben schaust du der Wahrheit Licht, O traue den lockenden Schwestern nicht Im mitternächtigen Schmuck. Hier oben ist Himmel und Heiterkeit, Da athmet so leicht die Brust, befreit Von irdischer Sorgen Druck!" "Hier unten im tief verborgenen Schooß Der heimlichen Bucht beim Wellengekos Hat süße Sorge nur Raum; Im dichtumschatteten kühlen Haus, Auf schwellendem Rasen, da träumst du aus Der Liebe seeligen Traum!" So drang herunter, so drang herauf Der Töne Gelispel im Wechsellauf, Und rings war friedliche Ruh; Die Drossel schwieg und die Nachtigall, Es schwiegen Zephyr und Wasserfall, Und hörten den Bäumen zu.
Confirmed with Gustav Pfarrius, Die Waldlieder, Köln: Verlag der M. DuMont-Schonberg'schen Buchhandlung, 1850, pages 27-28
Authorship:
- by Gustav Pfarrius (1800 - 1884), "Die Birken und die Erlen", appears in Waldlieder, first published 1850 [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 Max Bruch (1838 - 1920), "Die Birken und die Erlen", op. 8, published 1859 [soprano, chorus, and orchestra], Breitkopf und Härtel [ sung text not verified ]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , title 1: "The birches and the alders", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2009-11-19
Line count: 36
Word count: 195
A lovely song, like the singing of sirens, Sounded in the grove in the early morning, It still fills my intoxicated ear; The birches high upon the rocky cliff And down below the alders on the banks of the brook, They sang it, chorus after chorus. "Come up, come up into the free realm, We shimmer in bright garments, Our curls are shot through with dew; The fog penetrates deeply into our feet, Come up, we sing the song of freedom, Smiled upon by heaven’s blue!" Come down into the cool, scented lowland, We wait, united into an intimate group, In darkly surging splendour; Far above us the sun sprays forth its heat, We sing that which does the heart good, Breathed through by the weaving night!" "Here on high you can see the light of truth, Oh do not trust the tempting sisters In their midnight adornment. Here on high is heaven and gladness, Here the bosom can breathe so easily, freed From the pressure of earthly anxieties!" "Here below in the deeply concealed womb Of the secret bay where the waves caress, Only sweet cares have a place; In the deeply shaded cool house, Upon the swelling lawn, there you shall dream The blissful dream of love to its end!" Thus sounded from on high, thus sounded from below The whispering of the tones in alternation, And round about was peaceful rest; The thrush fell silent and the nightingale, The zephyr fell silent and the waterfall, And listened to the trees.
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2017 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.
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Gustav Pfarrius (1800 - 1884), "Die Birken und die Erlen", appears in Waldlieder, first published 1850
This text was added to the website: 2017-05-04
Line count: 36
Word count: 253