ON WINGS OF SONG (AUF FLÜGELN DES GESANGES)
(Words: Heinrich Heine / Music: Felix Mendelssohn - Mid-19th Century)
Recorded by:
Jana Buchner; John McCormack; Brendan O`Dowda; Yvonne Kenny;
Angela Gheorghiu; Kiri Te Kanawa; Christine Wolff & Britta Schwarz;
Kenneth McKellar; Peter Schreier; Suze Van Grootel; Benjamin Appl;
Victoria De Los Angeles; Elly Ameling; Kevin McMillan; Eva Marton;
Janet Baker; Elizabeth Schwarzkopf ..... and many others.
ORIGINAL GERMAN WORDS:
Auf Flügeln des Gesanges
Herzliebchen, trag' ich dich fort
Fort nach den Fluren des Ganges
Dort weiß ich den schönsten Ort
Dort liegt ein rotblühender Garten
Im stillen Mondenschein
Die Lotosblumen erwarten
Ihr trautes Schwesterlein
Die Veilchen kichern und kosen
Und schaun nach den Sternen empor
Heimlich erzählen die Rosen
Sich duftende Märchen ins Ohr
Es hüpfen herbei und lauschen
Die frommen, klugen Gazell'n
Und in der Ferne rauschen
Des heiligen Stromes Well'n
Dort wollen wir niedersinken
Unter dem Palmenbaum
Und Liebe und Ruhe trinken
Und träumen seligen Traum
ENGLISH TRANSLATION:
On Wings of Song
Sweetheart, I carry you away
Away to the fields of the Ganges
Where I know the most beautiful place
There is a garden of red flax
In the quiet moonlight
Expect the lotus flowers
Their charming little sister
The violets giggle and cherish
And gaze up at the stars
Secretly tell the roses
Are fragrant fairy ear
Hopping near and listen
the pious, wise gazelles
And noise in the distance
The sacred river's waves
There we will lay down
Under the palm tree
Peace and love and drink
And dream our blissful dream
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ALTERNATE ENGLISH VERSION:
On wings of song I'll bear thee
Enchanted realms to see
Come O' my love, prepare thee
In dreamland to wander with me
A garden I know of roses by moonlight silvered o'er
Upon the lake reposes a balmy lotus flower
The bending violets whisper their fragrant secrets there
Waiting for thee, their sister
Still closed are the blossoms rare
With wistful glances are peering
The bright-eyed, slender gazelles
A rushing tide is nearing upon the breeze it swells
And there we will sit and rest us
Under the palm tree's shade
And dream that love has blessed us
And joy will never fade
(Contributed by Mel Priddle - February 2017)
