"Wanderer's Nightsong" (original German title: "Wandrers Nachtlied") is the title of two poems by the German poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Written in 1776 ("Der du von dem Himmel bist") and in 1780 ("Über allen Gipfeln"), they are among Goethe's most famous works. Both were first edited together in his 1815 Works Vol. I with the headings "Wandrers Nachtlied" and "Ein gleiches" ("Another one"). Both works were set to music as lieder by Franz Schubert and catalogued as D 224 and D 768.
Schubert: Song "Wandrers Nachtlied" I, Op. 4, No. 3 (D 224), autograph, 1815
The manuscript of "Wanderer's Nightsong" ("Der du von dem Himmel bist") was among Goethe's letters to his friend Charlotte von Stein and bears the signature "At the slope of Ettersberg, on 12 Feb. 76"; supposedly it was written under the tree later called the Goethe Oak.[1] One translation is by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow:
Der du von dem Himmel bist, Alles Leid und Schmerzen stillest, Den, der doppelt elend ist, Doppelt mit Erquickung füllest; Ach, ich bin des Treibens müde! Was soll all der Schmerz und Lust? Süßer Friede, Komm, ach komm in meine Brust!
Thou that from the heavens art, Every pain and sorrow stillest, And the doubly wretched heart Doubly with refreshment fillest, I am weary with contending! Why this rapture and unrest? Peace descending Come, ah, come into my breast![2]
Franz Schubert set the poem to music in 1815 (as No.3 in his Op.4, D.224), changing "stillest" and "füllest" to "stillst" and "füllst," and, more significantly, "Erquickung" (refreshment) to "Entzückung" (delight).
Wanderer's Nightsong II
Cabin where Goethe wrote the poem
Wanderer's Nightsong II ("Über allen Gipfeln") is often considered the perhaps most perfect lyric in the German language.[3] Goethe probably wrote it on the evening of September 6, 1780, onto the wall of a wooden gamekeeper lodge on top of the Kickelhahn mountain near Ilmenau where he, according to a letter to Charlotte von Stein, spent the night.[4]
English plaque in the cabin
Über allen Gipfeln Ist Ruh, In allen Wipfeln Spürest du Kaum einen Hauch; Die Vögelein schweigen im Walde. Warte nur, balde Ruhest du auch.
O'er all the hilltops Is quiet now, In all the treetops Hearest thou Hardly a breath; The birds are asleep in the trees: Wait, soon like these Thou too shalt rest. (Henry Wadsworth Longfellow)
Goethe's friend Karl Ludwig von Knebel mentioned the writing in his diary, it is also documented in transcriptions by Johann Gottfried Herder and Luise von Göchhausen. It was first published—without authorization—by August Adolph von Hennings in 1800 and again by August von Kotzebue in 1803. An English version appeared in the Monthly Magazine in February 1801.[5] The second poem was also set to music by Franz Schubert, in 1823, Op. 96 No. 3, D. 768, it has been sung by sopranos, tenors and baritones, most notably by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. As Goethe wrote to Carl Friedrich Zelter, he revisited the cabin more than 50 years later on August 27, 1831, about six months before his death. The poet recognised his wall-writing and reportedly broke down in tears. After 1831 the handwritten text vanished, and has not been preserved.
John Ottman's musical score for Bryan Singer's 2008 film Valkyrie contains a requiem-like piece for soprano and chorus in the closing credits with "Nachtlied II" as lyrics. In the film's context, the poem serves as a lament on the miscarried assassination on Adolf Hitler on July 20, 1944, mourns the proximate death of most of the assassins, and with the last two lines forecasts the demise of those whom they failed to kill.[8]
References
^Gorra, Michael (2009). The Bells in Their Silence: Travels through Germany. Princeton UP. p. 16. ISBN9781400826018.
^"Composer John Ottman – Interview". tracksounds.com. 9 December 2009. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
External links
[1] Adaptation in English of "Wandrers Nachtlied II"
Media related to Wandrers Nachtlied at Wikimedia Commons
January 18, 2023
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Wanderer s Nightsong original German title Wandrers Nachtlied is the title of two poems by the German poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Written in 1776 Der du von dem Himmel bist and in 1780 Uber allen Gipfeln they are among Goethe s most famous works Both were first edited together in his 1815 Works Vol I with the headings Wandrers Nachtlied and Ein gleiches Another one Both works were set to music as lieder by Franz Schubert and catalogued as D 224 and D 768 1827 edition Contents 1 Wanderer s Nightsong I 2 Wanderer s Nightsong II 3 In popular culture 4 References 5 External linksWanderer s Nightsong I Edit Schubert Song Wandrers Nachtlied I Op 4 No 3 D 224 autograph 1815 The manuscript of Wanderer s Nightsong Der du von dem Himmel bist was among Goethe s letters to his friend Charlotte von Stein and bears the signature At the slope of Ettersberg on 12 Feb 76 supposedly it was written under the tree later called the Goethe Oak 1 One translation is by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Der du von dem Himmel bist Alles Leid und Schmerzen stillest Den der doppelt elend ist Doppelt mit Erquickung fullest Ach ich bin des Treibens mude Was soll all der Schmerz und Lust Susser Friede Komm ach komm in meine Brust Thou that from the heavens art Every pain and sorrow stillest And the doubly wretched heart Doubly with refreshment fillest I am weary with contending Why this rapture and unrest Peace descending Come ah come into my breast 2 Franz Schubert set the poem to music in 1815 as No 3 in his Op 4 D 224 changing stillest and fullest to stillst and fullst and more significantly Erquickung refreshment to Entzuckung delight Wanderer s Nightsong II Edit Cabin where Goethe wrote the poem Wanderer s Nightsong II Uber allen Gipfeln is often considered the perhaps most perfect lyric in the German language 3 Goethe probably wrote it on the evening of September 6 1780 onto the wall of a wooden gamekeeper lodge on top of the Kickelhahn mountain near Ilmenau where he according to a letter to Charlotte von Stein spent the night 4 English plaque in the cabin Uber allen Gipfeln Ist Ruh In allen Wipfeln Spurest du Kaum einen Hauch Die Vogelein schweigen im Walde Warte nur balde Ruhest du auch O er all the hilltops Is quiet now In all the treetops Hearest thou Hardly a breath The birds are asleep in the trees Wait soon like these Thou too shalt rest Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 1872 facsimile in Die Gartenlaube Goethe s friend Karl Ludwig von Knebel mentioned the writing in his diary it is also documented in transcriptions by Johann Gottfried Herder and Luise von Gochhausen It was first published without authorization by August Adolph von Hennings in 1800 and again by August von Kotzebue in 1803 An English version appeared in the Monthly Magazine in February 1801 5 The second poem was also set to music by Franz Schubert in 1823 Op 96 No 3 D 768 it has been sung by sopranos tenors and baritones most notably by Dietrich Fischer Dieskau As Goethe wrote to Carl Friedrich Zelter he revisited the cabin more than 50 years later on August 27 1831 about six months before his death The poet recognised his wall writing and reportedly broke down in tears After 1831 the handwritten text vanished and has not been preserved In popular culture EditThe mountain hut had already become famous as Goethe s Cabin by the late 1830s Burnt down in 1870 it was rebuilt four years later Parodies of Nachtlied II were written by Christian Morgenstern Fisches Nachtgesang Joachim Ringelnatz Abendgebet einer erkalteten Negerin lines 17 20 Karl Kraus Wanderers Schlachtlied from The Last Days of Mankind and Bertolt Brecht Liturgie vom Hauch A computational linguistics processing of the poem was the topic of the 1968 radio drama Die Maschine by Georges Perec and Eugen Helmle de 6 It is also cited in Daniel Kehlmann s 2005 novel Measuring the World 7 in Milan Kundera s novel Immortality citation needed and in Walter Moers novel The City of Dreaming Books citation needed John Ottman s musical score for Bryan Singer s 2008 film Valkyrie contains a requiem like piece for soprano and chorus in the closing credits with Nachtlied II as lyrics In the film s context the poem serves as a lament on the miscarried assassination on Adolf Hitler on July 20 1944 mourns the proximate death of most of the assassins and with the last two lines forecasts the demise of those whom they failed to kill 8 References Edit Gorra Michael 2009 The Bells in Their Silence Travels through Germany Princeton UP p 16 ISBN 9781400826018 Adorno Theodor W 1989 Lyric Poetry and Society In Stephen Eric Bronner Douglas Kellner eds Critical Theory and Society A Reader Routledge p 170 ISBN 9780415900416 cf Alan P Cottrell Goethe s view of evil and the search for a new image of man in our time 1982 p 35 Erich Trunz de in Goethes Werke Hamburger Ausgabe vol 1 16th ed 1996 p 555 The Monthly Magazine Sherwood Gilbert and Piper July 29 1801 p 42 Retrieved July 29 2019 via Internet Archive Perec Georges Helmle Eugen in French 1972 Die Maschine in German Stuttgart Reclam Kehlmann Daniel 2005 Die Vermessung der Welt in German Reinbek Rowohlt pp 127ff Composer John Ottman Interview tracksounds com 9 December 2009 Retrieved 30 January 2020 External links Edit 1 Adaptation in English of Wandrers Nachtlied II Media related to Wandrers Nachtlied at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Wanderer 27s Nightsong amp oldid 1107729900, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
