Der Nußbaum

Es grünet ein Nußbaum vor dem Haus,
Duftig, 
Luftig 
Breitet er blättrig die [Äste]1 aus.

Viel liebliche Blüten stehen dran;
Linde 
Winde 
Kommen, sie herzlich zu umfahn.

Es flüstern je zwei zu zwei gepaart,
Neigend, 
Beugend 
Zierlich zum Kusse die Häuptchen zart.

Sie flüstern von einem Mägdlein,
[Dächte
Nächte,
Tagelang, wüsste]2, ach! selber nicht was.

Sie flüstern - wer mag verstehn so gar
Leise 
[Weise]3? -
Flüstern von Bräut'gam und nächstem Jahr.

Das Mägdlein horchet, es rauscht im Baum;
Sehnend, 
Wähnend 
Sinkt es lächelnd in Schlaf und Traum.

View original text (without footnotes)
¹ Schumann: "Blätter", although sometimes left as "Äste"
² Schumann: "Das dächte / die Nächte / und Tagelang, wusste"
³ Schumann: "Weis'"

Authorship

by Julius Mosen (1803-1867) , "Der Nußbaum", from Leben und Liebe auf dem Lande

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

by Heinrich, Freiherr von Bach (1835-1915) , "Es grünt ein Nußbaum vor dem Haus", op. 15 (Zwei Lieder) no. 1 [voice and piano], Wien, Rörich; under the pseudonym Heinrich Molbe
by Carl Banck (1809-1889) , "Frühlingstraum", op. 26 (4 Duette für 2 Soprane mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 3, published 1837. [duet for 2 sopranos and piano]
by Robert Alexander Schumann (1810-1856) , "Der Nußbaum", op. 25 no. 3 (1840), from Myrten, no. 3.

ITA Italian (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Il noce", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "The walnut tree", copyright ©
DUT Dutch [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "De notenboom", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Pierre Mathé) , "Le noyer", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English [singable] (Shula Keller) , "The nut-tree", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
CAT Catalan (Marta Garcia Cadena) , "El noguer", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Text added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

Notes about green, red, and white dots

Gentle Reminder

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The walnut tree

A walnut tree stands greenly in front of the house,
fragrantly 
and airly 
spreading out its leafy branches.

Many lovely blossoms does it bear;
gentle 
winds 
come to caress them.

They whisper, paired two by two,
gracefully 
inclining 
their tender heads to kiss.

They whisper of a maiden
who thinks 
day and night long
of... but alas! she does not herself know!

They whisper - who can understand 
such a soft 
song? -
they whisper of a bridegroom and of the coming year.

The maiden listens, the tree rustles;
yearning, 
hoping, 
she sinks smiling into sleep and dream.

Authorship

Translation from German to English copyright © by Emily Ezust,

a text in German by Julius Mosen (1803-1867) , "Der Nußbaum", from Leben und Liebe auf dem Lande DUT CAT ITA FRE

Text added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.