Long Autumn Night
"Long Autumn Night" is a Chinese classic poem that has inspired later works of classical music in China and Europe.
After Long Autumn Night by Qian Qi 錢起《效古秋夜長》from Tang Poems
was a mid-Tang dynasty Chinese court poet known by contemporaries for elegant verses which are rich in meaning and loose in syntax. They could be interpreted in many ways. This poem was inspired by "Long Autumn Night" by Wang Yong of the 5th century. Gustav Mahler's choral symphony Das Lied von der Erde, 2nd movement, was based on this Tang poem about a lonely young girl at her silk loom in a wealthy household.Autumn brings the white jade frost, North wind sweeps the lotus scent.
Pining with love she weaves by a flickering lamp, Tearful at the long cold loom,
Her cloud of finished gossamer green silk like a pool of quiet water, Until the moon and perched crow bring the dawn.
Who is this young girl faithfully weaving at her loom?
Hidden deep behind rich silken drapes, amidst the splendor listening to falling leaves.
I sympathize with her; cold in solitary desolation.
秋漢飛玉霜，北風掃荷香。
含情紡織孤燈盡，拭淚相思寒漏長。
簷前碧雲靜如水，月弔棲烏啼鳥起。
誰家少婦事鴛機，錦幕雲屏深掩扉。
白玉窗中聞落葉，應憐寒女獨無衣。
"Der Einsame im Herbst" ("The Solitary One in Autumn")
The second movement of Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde is based on this Qian Qi poem. The German choral text of the first two stanzas are given below:Herbstnebel wallen bläulich überm See;
Vom Reif bezogen stehen alle Gräser;
Man meint, ein Künstler habe Staub von Jade
Über die feinen Blüten ausgestreut.
Der süße Duft der Blumen ist verflogen;
Ein kalter Wind beugt ihre Stengel nieder.
Bald werden die verwelkten, gold'nen Blätter
Der Lotosblüten auf dem Wasser zieh'n.