Um Mitternacht, wenn die Menschen erst...

Um Mitternacht, wenn die Menschen [erst]1 schlafen,
[Dann]2 scheinet uns der Mond,
[Dann]2 leuchtet uns der Stern,
Wir wandeln und singen,
Und tanzen erst gern.

Um Mitternacht, wenn die Menschen [erst]1 schlafen,
Auf Wiesen an den Erlen
Wir suchen unsern Raum,
Und wandeln und singen
Und tanzen einen Traum.

   ...Der Mond ist unendlich schön, 
   Ich bin durch die neuen Wege gelaufen 
   da sieht die Nacht himmlisch drein. Die Elfen sangen.

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) , no title, from Briefe an Charlotte Stein

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

by Robert Kahn (1865-1951) , "Elfenliedchen", op. 75 (45 Lieder für dreistimmigen Chor a capella) no. 27 (1924). [three-part chorus a cappella]
by Nikolai Karlovich Medtner (1880-1951) , "Elfenliedchen", op. 6 no. 3, also set in Russian
by Friedrich Niggli (1875-1959) , "Um Mitternacht", op. 14 (Sechs Lieder) no. 2.
by Margarete Voigt-Schweikert (1887-1957) , "Elfenliedchen", op. 3 (Sechs Lieder) no. 3 (1910), published 1912. [voice and piano]
by Karl Weigl (1881-1949) , "Die Elfen sangen", op. 8 (Fünf Frauenlieder für eine mittlere Stimme und Klavier = 5 Songs for young women for a middle voice and piano) no. 1 (1904-6), published 1914. [medium voice and piano]
by Karl Weigl (1881-1949) , "Die Elfen sangen", op. 25 (8 Frauenchöre a capella) no. 7 (1906), published 1933. [three- or four-part women's chorus a cappella]
by Julius Weismann (1879-1950) , "Elfenliedchen", op. 4 (10 Lieder) no. 9 (1900/1). [voice and piano]
by Erich J. Wolff (1874-1913) , "Elfensang", op. 15 (Drei Lieder von Goethe) no. 2, published 1907. [voice and piano]
by Alexander Zemlinsky (1871-1942) , "Elfenlied", op. 22 no. 4 (1934).

by Nikolai Karlovich Medtner (1880-1951) , "Pesenka `El'fov", op. 6 no. 3, also set in German

ENG English [singable] (A. Rosenthal)
ENG English [singable] (John Bernhoff)
FRE French

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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