Teurer Freund! Was soll es nützen

«Teurer Freund! Was soll es nützen,
Stets da alte Lied zu leiern?
Willst du ewig brütend sitzen
Auf den alten Liebes-Eiern?

Ach! das ist ein ewig Gattern,
Aus den Schalen kriechen Küchlein,
Und sie piepsen und sie flattern,
Und du sperrst sie in ein Büchlein.»

by Heinrich Heine (1797-1856) , no title, from Buch der Lieder, in Die Heimkehr, no. 42

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

by Franz Xaver Gardeweg (1944-) , "Teurer Freund", 1997 [medium voice and piano], from 7 Lieder nach gedichten von H. Heine, no. 1.
by Marlos Nobre (1939-) , "Teurer Freund!", op. 90 (Kleine Gedichte) no. 6, published 2000?, first performed 2000. [baritone and piano]
by Johann Vesque von Püttlingen (1803-1883) , "Teurer Freund! Was soll es nützen", published 1851, from Die Heimkehr : 88 Gedichte aus H. Heine's Reisebildern, no. 42.

ENG English (Emma Lazarus)
FRE French (Pierre Mathé)

Date added to the website: 2008-02-22.

Gentle Reminder

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Dearest friend, what may it profit

Dearest friend, what may it profit
   To repeat the old refrain?
Wilt thou, brooding still above it,
   Sitting on love's egg remain!

Ah, if needs incessant watching;
   From the shell the chicks have risen.
Clucking they reward thy hatching,
   And this book shall be their prison."

by Emma Lazarus (1849-1887) , from Poems and Ballads of Heinrich Heine, published 1881

a text in German by Heinrich Heine (1797-1856) , no title, from Buch der Lieder, in Die Heimkehr, no. 42 FRE

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

[ None yet in the database ]

Date added to the website: 2008-05-02.