Attention! Some of this material is not in the public domain.
It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.
To inquire about permissions and rates, contact Emily Ezust at licenses@email.lieder.example.net
If you wish to reprint translations, please make sure you include the names of the translators in your email. They are below each translation.
Note: You must use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.
O ihr Zärtlichen, tretet zuweilen in den Atem, der euch nicht meint, laßt ihn an eueren Wangen sich teilen, hinter euch zittert er, wieder vereint. O ihr Seligen, o ihr Heilen, die ihr der Anfang der Herzen scheint. Bogen der Pfeile und Ziele von Pfeilen, ewiger glänzt euer Lächeln verweint. Fürchtet euch nicht zu leiden, die Schwere, gebt sie zurück an der Erde Gewicht: schwer sind die Berge. Schwer sind die Meere. Selbst die als Kinder ihr pflanztet, die Bäume, wurden zu schwer längst; ihr trüget sie nicht. Aber die Lüfte... aber die Räume...
H. Birtwistle sets line 14
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926), no title, appears in Die Sonette an Orpheus 1, no. 4 [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 Harrison Birtwistle, Sir (1934 - 2022), "Elegy 6, Sonnet I, 4", 2003-04, line 14 [ oboe, harp and countertenor ], from Orpheus elegies, no. 6, Boosey & Hawkes [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Nicolas Bolens (b. 1963), "But for the air, but for the heavens...", 1995 [ string quartet ], from Streichquartett; Sur quelques Mots de Rainer Maria Rilke, no. 5, Editions Papillon [sung text not yet checked]
- by Stanley Grill (b. 1953), "O ihr Zärtlichen", copyright © 2012 [ tenor and piano ], from Sonnets to Orpheus, no. 4, confirmed with an online score [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Walter Jentsch (1900 - 1979), "O ihr zärtlichen", op. 31 no. 1, copyright © 1955 [ chorus ], from Madrigalen aus den Sonetten an Orpheus von R.M. Rilke, no. 1, Hamburg : Sikorski [sung text not yet checked]
- by Peter Lieberson (1946 - 2011), "O ihr Zärtlichen" [ mezzo-soprano and piano ], from Five Rilke Songs, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Steen Pade (b. 1956), "Sonet", 1981 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Einojuhani Rautavaara (1928 - 2016), "O ihr Zärtlichen", 1956 [ voice and piano or orchestra ], from Fünf Sonette an Orpheus, no. 4 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by François Tousignant (b. 1955), "O ihr Zärtlichen", 1978 [ voice and instrumental ensemble ], from Premiers sonets sur R.M. Rilke, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in English, a translation by Stephen Mitchell (b. 1943) , no title, copyright © ; composed by Eric Moe.
- Also set in English, a translation by Darrel Hale , "Part One, Sonnet IV", copyright © 2018 ; composed by Jenni Brandon.
- Also set in English, a translation by James Blair Leishman (1902 - 1963) , no title ; composed by Colin Matthews.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Knut W. Barde) , "Sonnet to Orpheus", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2010, (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: 14
Word count: 94
Ô vous les tendres, avancez parfois dans le souffle, qui ne signifie rien pour vous, laissez-le se diviser le long de vos joues, il tremble derrière vous, à nouveau réuni. Ô vous les bienheureux, ô vous les guéris, vous semblez être à l'origine des cœurs, arc des flèches et cible des flèches, votre sourire éploré brille éternellement. Ne craignez pas de souffrir, la pesanteur, rendez-la au poids de la terre : lourdes sont les montagnes, lourdes sont les mers. Même ce qu'enfant vous avez planté, les arbres, à la longue devinrent trop lourds ; vous ne pourriez les porter. Mais l'air ... mais l'espace ...
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to French (Français) copyright © 2010 by Pierre Mathé, (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 Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926), no title, appears in Die Sonette an Orpheus 1, no. 4
This text was added to the website: 2010-06-12
Line count: 14
Word count: 102