A Book of German Lyrics — Friedrich Bruns
You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org . If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook. Title : A Book of German Lyrics Editor : Friedrich Bruns Release date : July 1, 2005 [eBook #8565] Most recently updated: December 26, 2020 Language : German, English Other information and formats : www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/8565 Credits : E-text prepared by David Starner, Thomas Berger, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team *** START OF With this end in view I have made the selections as full and as varied as possible and included in the Notes short introductory sketches of the poets. Since the book is intended for the work of fourth and fifth semester German in College (or third and fourth year High School), pedagogic considerations imposed certain limitations not only as to individual poems but also as to poets. Thus I felt that I must exclude Novalis, Hölderlin, Brentano, Annette von Droste, Nietzsche and Dehmel. My standard of difficulty—aside from matters purely linguistic—was: Could a similar poem in English be read and appreciated by the same class of students? Moreover I tried out in a class of fourth semester German all poems that seemed to offer special difficulties and have made use of the experience thus acquired. Some of my readers will undoubtedly be surprised at finding only two poems of Schiller included in the collection. May I point to the length of these two poems, 270 lines? Even to Goethe I have given only 362 lines. Why did I choose these two poems? The lighter lyric verse of Schiller is not representative of the poet nor would it have enriched the Anthology with a new note. Das Lied von der Glocke is too long for this small volume and is readily accessible in three different school editions. Schiller is at his best in his philosophical lyrics: as Goethe has said, in this field he is absolutely supreme. Poems like Das Ideal und das Leben or Der Spaziergang are far too difficult for our younger students. Das verschleierte Bild zu Sais , however, offers a philosophical problem which the younger mind can grasp without special training in philosophy. A few introductory remarks, such as I have given in the notes, will prepare the way. Both poems, furthermore, exemplify Schiller's ethical idealism. Certainly no other poems available at this stage could do more. I have often been asked by teachers: How do you teach lyric poetry? An answer is found in my Notes to a number of the poems. The chief prerequisite is a warm love for the poets: nowhere is enthusiasm more contagious. A few introductory remarks will open the world of the poem to the student. The teacher must, of course, develop in the students their latent rhythmical sense both by example and precept. Aside from this lyric poetry teaches itself. As to the use of the book I should suggest spending two or three weeks on one or two poets—I should begin with Goethe—and after that spend one hour a week for a semester or even a year. Some poems could be assigned for outside reading and then a group of poems be discussed in class. On the whole I have limited myself to those poets that to-day stand out as preëminent. A possible exception is the once famous Rückert. I could not resist the temptation of including his Aus der Jugendzeit , a poem of consummate beauty, Rückert's one perfect lyric. Time has been relentless in its winnowing process. But if Geibel, Wilhelm Müller and Bodenstedt have given way to Mörike, Keller and Hebbel, we assuredly have no reason for lament. If this little book help to win in our schools for these three and for Storm, C. F. Meyer, and Liliencron the recognition they deserve, I shall feel richly repaid for this labor of love. Spring of 1921, Madison, Wisconsin. FRIEDRICH BRUNS. CONTENTS Goethe 1. Willkommen und Abschied 2. Mailied 3. Auf dem See 4. Heidenröslein 5. Wanderers Nachtlied 6. Ein gleiches 7. Hoffnung 8. Erinnerung 9. Gefunden 10. Mignon 11. Harfenspieler 12. Der König in Thule 13. Der Fischer 14. Erlkönig 15. Gesang der Geister über den Wassern 16. Grenzen der Menschheit 17. Lied des Türmers Schiller 18. Die Kraniche des Ibykus 19. Das verschleierte Bild zu Sais Uhland 20. Die Lerchen 21. Des Knaben Berglied 22. Schäfers Sonntagslied 23. Die Kapelle 24. Morgenlied 25. Frühlingsglaube 26. Lob des Frühlings 27. Das Schwert 28. Die Rache 29. Der Wirtin Töchterlein 30. Der gute Kamerad 31. Taillefer 32. Des Sängers Fluch Eichendorff 33. Der frohe Wandersmann 34. Der Jäger Abschied 35. Nachts 36. Frühlingsdämmerung 37. Elfe 38. Abendlandschaft 39. Die Nacht 40. Sehnsucht 41. Das zerbrochene Ringlein 42. Frühe 43. Nachts 44. Mondnacht Rückert 45. Aus der Jugendzeit Heine 46. Die Grenadiere 47. In mein gar zu dunkles Leben 48. Ich weiß nicht, was soll es bedeuten 49. Du bist wie eine Blume 50. Auf Flügeln des Gesanges 51. Die Lotosblume ängstigt 52. Ein Fichtenbaum 53. Mein Liebchen, wir saßen beisammen 54. Ein Jüngling liebt sein Mädchen 55. Dämmernd liegt der Sommerabend 56. Es fällt ein Stern herunter 57. Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht 58. Sag, wo ist dein schönes Liebchen 59. Frieden 60. Leise zieht durch mein Gemüt 61. Es war ein alter König 62. Es ziehen die brausenden Wellen 63. Es ragt ins Meer der Runenstein 64. In der Fremde 65. Wo? Platen 66. Das Grab im Busento 67. Im Wasser wogt die Lilie 68. Wie rafft' ich mich auf in der Nacht 69. Ich möchte, wann ich sterbe Lenau 70. Bitte 71. Schilflied 72. Der Eichwald 73. Der Postillion 74. Die Drei 75. Der offene Schrank 76. Auf eine holländische Landschaft 77. Stimme des Regens 78. Herbst Mörike 79. Um Mitternacht 80. Septembermorgen 81. Er ist's 82. In der Frühe 83. Der Feuerreiter 84. Das verlassene Mägdlein 85. Lebewohl 86. Schön-Rohtraut 87. Auf eine Lampe 88. Gebet 89. Denk' es, o Seele Hebbel 90. Nachtlied 91. Das Kind 92. Nachtgefühl 93.