Fragen

Am Meer, am wüsten, nächtlichen Meer
Steht ein Jüngling-Mann,
Die Brust voll Wehmut, das Haupt voll Zweifel,
Und mit düstern Lippen fragt er die Wogen:

"O löst mir das Rätsel des Lebens,
Das qualvoll uralte Rätsel,
Worüber schon manche Häupter gegrübelt,
Häupter in Hieroglyphenmützen,
Häupter in Turban und schwarzem Barett,
Perückenhäupter und tausend andre
Arme, schwitzende Menschenhäupter -
Sagt mir, was bedeutet der Mensch?
Woher ist er kommen? Wo geht er hin?
Wer wohnt dort oben auf goldenen Sternen?"

Es murmeln die Wogen ihr ew'ges Gemurmel,
Es wehet der Wind, es fliehen die Wolken,
Es blinken die Sterne, gleichgültig und kalt,
Und ein Narr wartet auf Antwort.

by Heinrich Heine (1797-1856) , "Fragen", from Buch der Lieder, in Die Nordsee, in Zweiter Zyklus, no. 7, published 1825-6

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 Clement Adams (1947-) , "Fragen", published c1985 [high voice and piano], from Heine songs, no. 4.
by Yehezkel Braun (1922-) , "Fragen", published 2006 [baritone and piano], from Spätlese aus Heinrich Heines Gedichte, no. 7.
by Franz Paul Lachner (1803-1890) , "Fragen", op. 54 (Sechs deutsche Gesänge), Heft 2 no. 6. [baritone or alto and piano]
by Nikolay Vladimirovich Shcherbachev (1853-?) , "Am Meere (Am Meere, dem stürmischen Meere)", op. 3 (Sieben Lieder) no. 3.
by Karl Weigl (1881-1949) , "Fragen", op. 1 (Sieben Gesänge) no. 4 (1903-4), published 1912. [baritone and piano]

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

Date added to the website: 2007-10-15.

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Question

By the sea, by the desolate nocturnal sea,
      Stands a youthful man,
His breast full of sadness, his head full of doubt,
And with bitter lips he questions the waves:

"Oh solve me the riddle of life!
   The cruel, world-old riddle,
Concerning which, already many a head hath been racked.
   Heads in hieroglyphic-hats,
   Heads in turbans and in black caps,
   Periwigged heads, and a thousand other
      Poor, sweating human heads.
Tell me, what signifies man?
Whence does he come? whither does he go?
Who dwells yonder above the golden stars?"

The waves murmur their eternal murmur,
The winds blow, the clouds flow past,
      Cold and indifferent twinkle the stars,
         And a fool awaits an answer.

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

a text in German by Heinrich Heine (1797-1856) , "Fragen", from Buch der Lieder, in Die Nordsee, in Zweiter Zyklus, no. 7, published 1825-6 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: 2008-05-08.