Schäfers Klagelied

Da droben auf jenem Berge,
Da steh ich tausendmal,
An meinem Stabe [hingebogen]1
Und schaue hinab in das Tal.

Dann folg ich der weidenden Herde,
Mein Hündchen bewahret mir sie.
Ich bin herunter gekommen
Und weiß doch selber nicht wie.

Da stehet von schönen Blumen
Die ganze Wiese so voll.
Ich breche sie, ohne zu wissen,
Wem ich sie geben soll.

Und Regen, Sturm und Gewitter
[Verpass]2 ich unter dem Baum.
Die Türe dort bleibet verschlossen;
Doch alles ist leider ein Traum.

Es stehet ein Regenbogen
Wohl über jenem Haus!
Sie aber ist [fortgezogen]3,
Und weit in das Land hinaus.

Hinaus in das Land und weiter,
Vielleicht gar über die See.
Vorüber, ihr Schafe, nur vorüber!
Dem Schäfer ist gar so weh.

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) , "Schäfers Klagelied", 1802

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

by Johann Anton André (1775-1842) , "Schäfers Klagelied", c1818.
by Johann Andreas Anschütz (1772-1855?) , "Schäfers Klagelied", 1813, published 1849.
by Georg Friedrich Alexander, Graf von Blankensee (-1867) , "Schäfers Klage"
by Moritz, Graf von Dietrichstein (1775-1864) , "Schäfers Klagelied", 1811.
by Wilhelm Ehlers (1774-1845) , "Schäfers Klagelied", c1812.
by Niels Wilhelm Gade (1817-1890) , "Schäfers Klagelied"
by August Harder (1775-1813) , "Schäfers Klage", op. 8 (Gesänge mit Begleitung der Guitarre) no. 5 (1805).
by August Harder (1775-1813) , "Schäfers Klage"
by August Ferdinand Häser (1779-1844) , "Schäfers Klage", 1819.
by Franz (Friedrich) von Holstein (1826-1878) , "Wie stehet von schönen Blumen", op. 48 (Acht Lieder für zwei und drei Singstimmen (ohne Begleitung)) no. 1, published 1882, stanzas 3-? [soprano and tenor], note: may be incorrect text for this title
by Franz Hünten (1793-1878) , "Schäfers Klagelied", published 1838.
by Johann Christoph Kienlen (1783-1829) , "Schäfers Klagelied", published 1810, from Zwölf Lieder von Goethe, no. 12.
by Bernhard (Joseph) Klein (1793-1832) , "Schäfers Klagelied", published c1820. [voice and piano]
by Bernhard (Joseph) Klein (1793-1832) , "Schäfers Klagelied", op. 41 (Vier Gedichte von Goethe) no. 2, published 1832. [voice and piano]
by Gabriel Linsén (1838-1914) , "Schäfers Klagelied", published 1862.
by Johann Friedrich Reichardt (1752-1814) , "Schäfers Klagelied", published 1805-6.
by Luise Reichardt (1779-1826) , "Schäfers Klagelied", 1803.
by Franz Peter Schubert (1797-1828) , "Schäfers Klagelied", op. 3 no. 1, D. 121 (1814), published 1821.
by Franz Peter Schubert (1797-1828) , "Schäfers Klagelied", D. 121b (1814), published 1894.
by Gottlieb Streitwolf (1779-1837) , "Schäfers Klagelied"
by Václav Jan Křtitel Tomášek (1774-1850) , "Schäfers Klagelied", op. 56 no. 1 (1815?)
by Karl Friedrich Zelter (1758-1832) , "Schäfers Klagelied", 1802.

by Adolph Martin Foerster (1854-1927) , "Shepherd's Lament", op. 45 (Four Songs) no. 3.

ENG English (Emily Ezust)
FRE French (Pierre Mathé)
ITA Italian (Ferdinando Albeggiani)
ITA Italian (Amelia Maria Imbarrato)
DUT Dutch [singable] (Lau Kanen)
ENG English (Leon Malinofsky)

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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Shepherd's Lament

Up yonder on the mountain
A thousand times I stand,
Leant on my crook, and gazing
Down on the valley land.

I follow the flock to the pasture;
My little dog watches them still,
I have come below, but I know not
How I descended the hill.

The beautiful valley is covered
With blossoms of every hue;
I pluck them, alas! Without knowing
Whom I shall give them to.

I seek in the rain and the tempest
A refuge under the tree:
Yonder the doors are fasten'd,
And all is a dream to me.

Right over the roof of the dwelling
I see a rainbow stand;
But she has departed forever,
And gone far out into the land.

Far out in the land, and farther
Perhaps to an alien shore;
Go forward, ye sheep! go forward,
The heart of the shepherd is sore.

by Bayard Taylor (1825-1878) , "Shepherd's Lament"

a text in German by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) , "Schäfers Klagelied", 1802 DUT ITA FRE

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

by Adolph Martin Foerster (1854-1927) , "Shepherd's Lament", op. 45 (Four Songs) no. 3.

Date added to the website: 2004-02-10.