An die bretterne Schiffswand

An die bretterne Schiffswand,
Wo mein träumendes Haupt liegt,
Branden die Wellen, die wilden Wellen;
Sie rauschen und murmeln
Mir heimlich ins Ohr:
"Betörter Geselle!
Dein Arm ist kurz, [und der Himmel ist weit]1
Und die Sterne [droben sind festgenagelt]2
Mit goldnen Nägeln -
Vergebliches Sehnen, vergebliches Seufzen,
Das beste wäre, du schliefest ein."

by Heinrich Heine (1797-1856) , no title, from Buch der Lieder, in Die Nordsee, in Erster Zyklus, in 7. Nachts in der Kajüte, no. 5

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

by Catharinus Elling (1858-1942) , "Nachts in der Kajüte. II", op. 12 (Catharinus Elling-Album) no. 10.
by Robert Franz (1815-1892) , "Auf dem Meere", op. 25 (Sechs Lieder) no. 6, published 1870?
by Samuel de Lange (1840-1911) , "An die bretterne Schiffswand", op. 6 no. 4, published 18--?, from Nachts in der Kajüte : ein Liedercyclus von Heinrich, no. 4.
by Heinrich Reimann (1850-1906) , "Auf dem Meere", op. 4 (Vier Lieder) no. 2.

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

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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Against the wooden wall of the ship

   Against the wooden wall of the ship
         Where my dreaming head reclines,
   Break the waves, the wild sea-waves.
         They whisper and murmur
               Close into mine ear;
         "Oh foolish young fellow,
Thine arm is short and the sky is far off,
And the stars are all firmly nailed above
               With golden nails.
Vain is thy yearning and vain is thy sighing!
The best thou canst do is to go to sleep."

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 Nordsee, in Erster Zyklus, in 7. Nachts in der Kajüte, no. 5 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: 2008-05-05.