Songs
An die Harmonie
(1816)
D394
An die Harmonie
Schöpferin beseelter Töne!Nachklang dem Olymp enthallt!Holde, körperlose Schöne,Sanfte geistige Gewalt,Die das Herz der ErdensöhneKühn erhebt und mild umwallt!Die in inn’rer Stürme DrangeLabt mit stillender Magie,Komm mit deinem Sühngesange,Himmelstochter Harmonie!Seufzer, die das Herz erstickte,Das, mißkannt, sich endlich schloß -Thränen, die das Aug’ zerdrückte,Das einst viel umsonst vergoß,Dankt dir wieder der Entzückte,Den dein Labequell umfloß.Der Empfindung zarte Blume,Die manch’ frost’ger Blick versengt,Blüht, erquickt im HeiligtumeEiner Brust, die du getränkt.Komm, Momente zu verschönen,Dem, der nicht der Zukunft traut;Schleuss den Blick mit Schlummertönen,Der zu starr ins Dunkel schaut;Wie den Säugling beim EntwöhnenEines Wiegenliedes Laut,Lull’ auch uns in goldne TräumeEiner bessern, innern Welt,Bis ein sanftres Licht die RäumeUnsres Kerkers still erhellt.Tön’ in leisen SterbechörenDurch des Todes Nacht uns vor!Bei des äußern Sinns ZerstörenWeile in des Geistes Ohr!Die der Erde nicht gehören,Heb’ mit Schwanensang empor!Löse sanft des Lebens Bande,Mildre Kampf und Agonie,Und empfang’ im SeelenlandeUns, o Seraph, Harmonie!
To Harmony
Creator of inspired music!Echo, sounding from Olympus! Gracious, disembodied beauty,gentle spiritual powerwho boldly uplifts and tenderly envelops the hearts of mortals;who with soothing magicquells the tempests within us,come with your comforting music, harmony, daughter of heaven.For sighs, suppressed by the heartthat, misunderstood, at length became closed; for tears, forced back by eyesthat had once wept so much in vain,I thank you again, enraptured,lapped by your healing stream.The tender flower of feelingblighted by many a frozen look,blossoms, refreshed in the shrineof a heart nurtured by you.Come, grant bright momentsFor those who do not trust the future;With slumberous tones close the eyesOf those who stare into the dark;As the weaned infant is lulledBy the strains of a lullaby,Lull us, too, to golden dreamsOf a better, inner worldUntil a gentler light silently illuminatesThe spaces of our prison.In soft funereal strainssing to us in the night of death.As our external senses are destroyed, linger in the spirit’s ear.Raise aloft with your swansong those who belong no more on earth. Gently loosen life’s bonds;ease the struggle of our death throes, and receive us in the land of bliss, Seraphic harmony!
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Composer
Franz Peter Schubert was an late Classical and early Romantic composer. He produced a vast oeuvre during his short life, composing more the 600 vocal works (largely Lieder), and well as several symphonies, operas, and a large body of piano music. He was uncommonly gifted from a young age, but appreciation of his music was limited during his lifetime. His work became more popular in the decades after his death, and was praised by 19th century composers, including Mendelssohn, Schumann, Brahms, and Liszt.
Information from Wikipedia. Read more here.
See Full Entry
Poet
Johann Gaudenz Gubert Graf (& Freiherr) von Salis-Seewis was Swiss poet.
Salis-Seewis came from an old Swiss aristocracy. His father, baron Johann Ulrich von Salis-Seewis (1740–1815), was created a (primogenitive) Comte (count) at Versailles on 1 February 1777 having married Freiin Jakobea von Salis-Bothmar (1741–1791) in 1760. The Reichs-freiherrdom dated back to 20 January 1588, for Dietegan v. Salis.
Between 1779 and 1789 Salis served as an officer in the Swiss Guards in France in Paris, France, until the French revolution made him quit. Salis-Seewis was one of the favourites of Marie Antoinette. In the next year Salis-Seewis undertook a journey to the Netherlands and Germany (including Weimar), meeting Goethe, Herder, Schiller, Wieland, and Matthisson. He particularly connected with Matthisson, and an intimate friendship developed.
The poet colleagues shared a sense of Sturm und Drang and empathy, calling it the ""Bündner Nachtigall" (Graubünden nightingale). Salis-Seewis returned to Switzerland in 1791, living in Chur and marrying there, on 26 December 1793, the 22-year-old Ursina v. Pestalozzi (Chur 29 September 1771 - Malans 27 June 1835). They had two sons; Johann-Ulrich Dietegan (Comte) v. Salis-Seewis (1794–1844) and Johann-Jakob (Freiherr) v. Salis-Seewis (1800–1881). He had a lively involvement in the political changes in his homeland over the next years lively involved, endorsed the alliance of the Three Leagues of Switzerland to the new France, and the proclaimed Helvetic Republic. After the area was occupied by Austria in the following year, Salis-Seewis and his family had to flee to Zurich. There, he was appointed inspector general of the Helvetican troops. This activity brought him the nickname "poet general". He later went to Bern and received a place on the Court of cassation. When the Act of Mediation was issued by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1803, it became possible for Salis-Seewis to return to Graubünden. There he held several public offices until 1817, then he withdrew as Swiss federal colonel. His father had died two years before.
Taken from Wikipedia. To view the full article, please click here.
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Sorry, no further description available.
An die Harmonie
To Harmony
If you would like to use our texts and translations, please click here for more information.
Composer
Franz Peter Schubert was an late Classical and early Romantic composer. He produced a vast oeuvre during his short life, composing more the 600 vocal works (largely Lieder), and well as several symphonies, operas, and a large body of piano music. He was uncommonly gifted from a young age, but appreciation of his music was limited during his lifetime. His work became more popular in the decades after his death, and was praised by 19th century composers, including Mendelssohn, Schumann, Brahms, and Liszt.
Information from Wikipedia. Read more here.
See Full Entry
Poet
Johann Gaudenz Gubert Graf (& Freiherr) von Salis-Seewis was Swiss poet.
Salis-Seewis came from an old Swiss aristocracy. His father, baron Johann Ulrich von Salis-Seewis (1740–1815), was created a (primogenitive) Comte (count) at Versailles on 1 February 1777 having married Freiin Jakobea von Salis-Bothmar (1741–1791) in 1760. The Reichs-freiherrdom dated back to 20 January 1588, for Dietegan v. Salis.
Between 1779 and 1789 Salis served as an officer in the Swiss Guards in France in Paris, France, until the French revolution made him quit. Salis-Seewis was one of the favourites of Marie Antoinette. In the next year Salis-Seewis undertook a journey to the Netherlands and Germany (including Weimar), meeting Goethe, Herder, Schiller, Wieland, and Matthisson. He particularly connected with Matthisson, and an intimate friendship developed.
The poet colleagues shared a sense of Sturm und Drang and empathy, calling it the ""Bündner Nachtigall" (Graubünden nightingale). Salis-Seewis returned to Switzerland in 1791, living in Chur and marrying there, on 26 December 1793, the 22-year-old Ursina v. Pestalozzi (Chur 29 September 1771 - Malans 27 June 1835). They had two sons; Johann-Ulrich Dietegan (Comte) v. Salis-Seewis (1794–1844) and Johann-Jakob (Freiherr) v. Salis-Seewis (1800–1881). He had a lively involvement in the political changes in his homeland over the next years lively involved, endorsed the alliance of the Three Leagues of Switzerland to the new France, and the proclaimed Helvetic Republic. After the area was occupied by Austria in the following year, Salis-Seewis and his family had to flee to Zurich. There, he was appointed inspector general of the Helvetican troops. This activity brought him the nickname "poet general". He later went to Bern and received a place on the Court of cassation. When the Act of Mediation was issued by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1803, it became possible for Salis-Seewis to return to Graubünden. There he held several public offices until 1817, then he withdrew as Swiss federal colonel. His father had died two years before.
Taken from Wikipedia. To view the full article, please click here.
See Full Entry
Sorry, no further description available.