Habe Dank

Zueignung
by Hermann von Gilm

Ja, du weisst es, teure Seele,
dass ich fern von dir mich quale,
Liebe macht die Herzen krank
habe Dank.

Einst hielt ich, der Freiheit Zecher,
hoch den Amethysten-Becher
und du segnetest den Trank,
habe Dank.

Und beschworst darin die Bosen
bis ich, was ich nie gewesen,
heilig, heilig an Herz dir sank,
habe Dank!


Dedication

Yes, you know, dear love,
that it is torture to be away from you.
Love makes hearts sick.
And for that, I thank you.

Once, drunk with freedom,
I held the amethyst goblet high,
and you blessed the drink.
For that, I thank you.

And you exorcised my demons
until I became what I had never been:
holy, and holy I sank to your heart.
For that, I thank you!


To listen to some of this poetry as interpreted by R. Strauss, here are some cd options:

Jessye Norman sings Traum durch die Dammerung, Allerseelen, and Heimliche Aufforderung accompanied by pianist Geoffrey Parsons in a collection of Strauss songs on Richard Strauss: Lieder. Available used on Amazon here.

Felicity Lott sings Das Rosenband; Ruhe, meine Seele; Freundliche Vision, Morgen! and Zeuignung accompanied by Neeme Jarvi and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Available from Amazon here.

I actually heard the songs performed by a baritone, so the women's voices in the above recordings sound strange to me. I found this recording by Fritz Wunderlich on Amazon, with Morgen! and Zeuignung. Available from Amazon here.
(Some of these poems will be coming in the following days . . .)