Es stehen unbeweglich

Es stehen unbeweglich
die Sterne in ihrer Höh',
viel tausend Jahr, und schauen
sich an mit Liebesweh.

Sie sprechen eine Sprache,
die ist so reich, so schön;
doch keiner der Philologen
kann diese Sprache verstehn.

Ich aber hab sie gelernet,
und ich vergesse sie nicht;
mir diente als Grammatik
der Herzallerliebsten Gesicht.

by Heinrich Heine (1797-1856) , no title, from Buch der Lieder, in Lyrisches Intermezzo, no. 8

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

by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (1895-1968) , "Die Sternensprache", 1929, from Drei Heine-Lieder, no. 3, unpublished
by Don Forsythe (1932-) , "Es stehen unbeweglich", published c2004-5 [low voice and piano], from Eine Dichtererzählung - Herbstzyklus, no. 2.
by Olivier Greif (1950-2000) , "Es stehen unbeweglich", op. 49 (Light music) no. 3c
by Johanna Kinkel, née Mockel (1810-1858) , "Die Sprache der Sterne", op. 6 (Sechs Lieder) no. 6, published 1839.
by Henry J. Lautz , "Es stehen unbeweglich", op. 5 no. 2.
by Charles Fonteyn Manney (1872-1951) , "Es stehen unbeweglich", op. 1 (Six Songs = Sechs Lieder) no. 2, published 1898, note: also set in English
by Montague Fawcett Phillips (1885-1969) , "Die Sterne", published 1912, also set in English
by Theodor Raillard (1864-1929) , "Es stehen unbeweglich", from Fünf Lieder, no. 3.

by John Joseph Becker (1886-1961) , no title, 1925, from Heine Song Cycle, no. 1.

by Edison Vasilyevich Denisov (1929-1996) , "Nepodvizhnyje zvjozdy", published 1958 [baritone and piano], from Stradanija junosti, no. 10.

by Alfred Heller (1931-) , "The stars for many ages", 1956. [voice and guitar]

by Charles Fonteyn Manney (1872-1951) , "Stars in heaven shining", op. 1 (Six Songs = Sechs Lieder) no. 2, published 1898, note: also set in German

by Montague Fawcett Phillips (1885-1969) , "The stars", published 1912, also set in German

FRE French (Charles Beltjens)

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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For many thousand ages

For many thousand ages
The steadfast stars above
Have gazed upon each other
With ever mournful love.

They speak a certain language,
So beautiful, so grand,
Which none of the philologians
Could ever understand.

But I have learned it, learned it
For ever, by the grace
Of studying the grammar --
My heart's own darling's face.

by James Thomson (1834-1882) , from The poetical works, published 1895

a text in German by Heinrich Heine (1797-1856) , no title, from Buch der Lieder, in Lyrisches Intermezzo, no. 8 RUS 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 John Joseph Becker (1886-1961) , no title, 1925, from Heine Song Cycle, no. 1.

Date added to the website: 2006-04-05.