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Ich schleich umher, Betrübt und stumm, Du fragst, o frage Mich nicht, warum? Das Herz erschüttert So manche Pein! Und könnt' ich je Zu düster sein? Der Baum verdorrt, Der Duft vergeht, Die Blätter liegen So gelb im Beet, Es stürmt ein Schauer Mit Macht herein, Und könnt ich je Zu düster sein?
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by August von Platen-Hallermünde (1796 - 1835), no title, written 1820, appears in Gedichte, in Romanzen und Jugendlieder, no. 16 [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 Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897), "Ich schleich' umher", op. 32 (Neun Lieder und Gesänge) no. 3 (1864), published 1865 [ voice and piano ], Winterthur, Rieter-Biedermann [sung text checked 1 time]
- by (August Joseph) Norbert Burgmüller (1810 - 1836), "Lied", op. 6 (Fünf Lieder ) no. 3, published 1838 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Otto Dresel (1826 - 1890), "Ich schleiche umher", 1852 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Wilhelm Freudenberg (1838 - 1928), "Könnt ich je zu düster sein?", op. 24 (Vier Gesänge für 2 Singstimme (Sopran und Alt) mit Pianoforte ) no. 3, published 1875 [ duet for soprano and alto with piano ], Leipzig, Kahnt [sung text not yet checked]
- by Clara von Gossler (1827 - 1864), "Ich schleich' umher ", published 1863 [ voice and piano ], from Sechs Lieder, no. 1, Leipzig: Heinze [sung text not yet checked]
- by Friedrich von Kerstorf , "Romanze", published 1877 [ voice and piano ], from Zehn Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung, no. 1, Leipzig, Rieter-Biedermann [sung text not yet checked]
- by Bernhard (Joseph) Klein (1793 - 1832), "Ich schleich' umher", op. 31 (Romanze und zwei Gedichte) no. 3 [ voice and piano ], Magdeburg: Heinrichshofen's Verlag [sung text not yet checked]
- by Walter Lang (1896 - 1966), "Ich schleich umher", op. 23 no. 1 [ voice and piano ], from Liederfolge, no. 1 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Ludwig Rottenberg (1864 - 1932), "Ich schleich' umher betrübt und stumm", op. 1 (Vier Gesänge für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 4, published 1886 [ voice and piano ], Wien. Rebay & Robitschek [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "I creep about", copyright ©
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 53
I creep about, sad and mute. You ask, o ask me not, why? My heart shakes with so much pain! Could I ever be too gloomy? The tree withers and dies, the breeze fades away, The leaves lie so yellow in the yard, A shower storms with might toward us; Could I ever be too gloomy?
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Emily Ezust
Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:
Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
from the LiederNet Archive -- https://www.lieder.net/For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by August von Platen-Hallermünde (1796 - 1835), no title, written 1820, appears in Gedichte, in Romanzen und Jugendlieder, no. 16
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 56