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Es kehret der Maien, es blühet die Au, Die Lüfte, sie wehen so milde, so lau, Geschwätzig die Bäche nun rinnen. Die Schwalbe, die kehret zum wirtlichen Dach, Sie baut sich so emsig ihr bräutlich Gemach, Die Liebe soll wohnen da drinnen. Sie bringt sich geschäftig von kreuz und von quer Manch weicheres Stück zu dem Brautbett hierher, Manch wärmendes Stück für die Kleinen. Nun wohnen die Gatten beisammen so treu, Was Winter geschieden, verband nun der Mai, Was liebet, das weiß er zu einen. Es kehret der Maien, es blühet die Au. Die Lüfte, sie wehen so milde, so lau. Nur ich kann nicht ziehen von hinnen. Wenn alles, was liebet, der Frühling vereint, Nur unserer Liebe kein Frühling erscheint, Und Tränen sind all ihr Gewinnen.
Note for stanza 3, line 2, word 7 ("hierher") : some editions of Beethoven's song have "hieher"; the spelling can be found as well in Tonkünstler-Versammlung zu Weimar, zugleich als Vorfeier zu Ludwig van Beethoven's 100jährigen Geburtsfeste, 1870, page 24.
Text Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827), "Es kehret der Maien, es blühet die Au", op. 98 no. 5, from An die ferne Geliebte, no. 5 [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Torna el mes de maig, la prada plena de flors", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "De mei komt terug weer, het veld bloeit vol pracht", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Lynn Thompson) , "May returns, the meadow blooms", copyright © 1997, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Angelika Frenzel) , "Le mois de mai revient et les prés sont en fleurs", copyright © 2003, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , "Torna maggio, il prato è in fiore", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- LIT Lithuanian (Lietuvių kalba) (Giedrius Prunskus) , "Sugrįžta gegužis, pražysta lanka", copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- SPA Spanish (Español) (Saúl Botero Restrepo) , "Ha vuelto mayo, florecen las praderas", copyright © 2016, (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: 18
Word count: 127
May returns, the meadow blooms, The breezes they blow so softly, so mildly, Chattering, the brooks now run. The swallow, that returns to her hospitable roof, She builds, so busily, her bridal chamber, Love must dwell there. She brings, so busily, from all directions, Many soft pieces for the bridal bed, Many warm pieces for the little ones. Now live the couple together so faithfully, What winter has separated is united by May, What loves, that he knows how to unite. May returns, the meadow blooms, The breezes they blow so softly, so mildly, Only I cannot go away from here. When all that loves, the spring unites, Only to our love no spring appears, And tears are our only consolation.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 1997 by Lynn Thompson, (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 Alois (Isidor) Jeitteles (1794 - 1858)
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 18
Word count: 121