The Lied and Art Song Texts Page

Kennst du das Land, wo die Zitronen...

Language: German

Kennst du das Land, wo die [Zitronen]1 blühn,
Im dunkeln Laub die Gold-Orangen glühn,
Ein sanfter Wind vom blauen Himmel weht, 
Die Myrte still und hoch der Lorbeer steht? 
Kennst du es wohl?
Dahin! dahin
Möcht ich mit dir, o mein Geliebter, ziehn.

Kennst du das Haus? Auf Säulen ruht sein Dach.
Es glänzt der Saal, es schimmert das Gemach,
Und Marmorbilder stehn und sehn mich an:
Was hat man dir, du armes Kind, getan?
Kennst du es wohl? 
Dahin! dahin
Möcht ich mit dir, o mein Beschützer, ziehn.

Kennst du den Berg und seinen Wolkensteg?
Das Maultier sucht im Nebel seinen Weg;
In Höhlen wohnt der Drachen alte Brut;
Es stürzt der Fels und über ihn die Flut! 
Kennst du ihn wohl?
Dahin! dahin
Geht unser Weg! O Vater, laß uns ziehn!


View text without footnotes
1 sometimes spelled "Citronen"

Authorship

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

Set in Russian, a translation of Fyodor Ivanovich Tyutchev (1803-1873) DUT RUS ENG ITA FRE POL Set in French, a translation of (Paul) Jules Barbier (1825-1901) DUT RUS ENG ITA FRE POL and Michel Carré (1819-1872) DUT RUS ENG ITA FRE POL Set in French, a translation of Louis Gallet (1835-1898) DUT RUS ENG ITA FRE POL Set in French, a translation of Victor Wilder DUT RUS ENG ITA FRE POL Set in Polish, a translation of Adam Mickiewicz (1798-1855) DUT RUS ENG ITA FRE POL Set in Italian, a translation of Giuseppe Zaffira DUT RUS ENG ITA FRE POL
Available translations, adaptations, and transliterations (if applicable):

Text added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

Notes about green, red, and white dots

Knowest thou where?

Language: English

 Knowest thou where the lemon blossom grows,
 In foliage dark the orange golden glows,
 A gentle breeze blows from the azure sky,
 Still stands the myrtle, and the laurel, high?
 Dost know it well?
 'Tis there! 'Tis there
 Would I with thee, oh my beloved, fare.

 Knowest the house, its roof on columns fine?
 Its hall glows brightly and its chambers shine,
 And marble figures stand and gaze at me:
 What have they done, oh wretched child, to thee?
 Dost know it well?
 'Tis there! 'Tis there
 Would I with thee, oh my protector, fare.

 Knowest the mountain with the misty shrouds?
 The mule is seeking passage through the clouds;
 In caverns dwells the dragons' ancient brood;
 The cliff rocks plunge under the rushing flood!
 Dost know it well?
 'Tis there! 'Tis there
 Leads our path! Oh father, let us fare.


Authorship
    * Translation from German to English copyright © 1996 by Walter Meyer, walterm (AT) erols.com, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. Please contact the copyright-holder when requesting permission to reprint.

Based on

Text added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.