Celebration of the name day of Franz Michael Vierthalter
(Poet's title: Namensfeier)
Set by Schubert:
D 294
for Soprano, Tenor, Bass, chorus and wind instruments[September 27, 1815]
Erhabner! Erhabner!
Verehrter Freund der Jugend!
Zu deines Festes Feier
Deiner Weisheit, deiner Tugend
Nimm unsrer Herzen Huldigung.
Ja, wenn der Waisen Bitten frommen,
Die heut für dich zum Himmel glühn,
Muss oft der frohe Tag noch kommen,
Lang deines Lebens Freuden blühn.
Germanien, in fernen Zonen
Nennen Waisen Vater dich,
Dein Haupt umglänzen Bürgerkronen,
Und gute Fürsten lieben dich.
Ein Hochgefühl und reine Freude
Hält immer uns mit dir vereint,
Ein lorbeerreicher Nestor scheide
Einst spät von uns und allbeweint.
Your eminence! Your eminence!
Respected friend of youth!
On your festive celebration of
Your wisdom, your virtue,
Accept the homage of our hearts.
Yes, if the orphans’ petition is granted
(The prayers that are burning their way to heaven for you today)
There will have to be many happy returns of this day,
Long may the joys of your life blossom.
German speaking people in distant regions
Call you the Father of Orphans.
Your head is wreathed with civil crowns
And good princes love you.
May a noble feeling and pure joy
Keep us united with you always.
May this Nestor, rich in laurels, leave
Us as late as possible, universally lamented.
All translations into English that appear on this website, unless otherwise stated, are by Malcolm Wren. You are free to use them on condition that you acknowledge Malcolm Wren as the translator and schubertsong.uk as the source. Unless otherwise stated, the comments and essays that appear after the texts and translations are by Malcolm Wren and are © Copyright.
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Themes and images in this text:
Father and child Flowers Heads Hearts Joy Laments, elegies and mourning Laurel Names Orphans Prayers and praying Songs for special occasions Wreaths and garlands Youth
Franz Michael Vierthaler was born on 25th September 1758 and presumably baptised on 29th September, St Michael’s day, which was thereafter celebrated as his Name Day. He lived and studied in Salzburg, where he soon became an established authority on education (he published extensively on methodology and the principles of teaching and learning). He was put in charge of teacher training and from 1804 he was the supervisor of two orphanages. This was a period of serious disruption in central Europe as Napoleon’s victories undermined the established institutions of the Roman Catholic Church and the Holy Roman Empire. Salzburg was made a secular state in 1803 and transferred to Austria in 1805[1]. Vierthaler left Salzburg in 1807 to work for the Austrian government in Vienna, running the Orphanage there. One of the teachers who worked for him was Ferdinand Schubert, the composer’s brother.
[1] With the ebb and flow of alliances Salzburg was transerred to Bavaria in 1810, but returned to Austria in 1816 after the Congress of Vienna.
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Original Spelling Namensfeier Erhabner! Erhabner! Verehrter Freund der Jugend! Zu deines Festes Feyer Deiner Weisheit, deiner Tugend Nimm unsrer Herzen Huldigung. Ja, wenn der Waisen Bitten frommen, Die heut´ für dich zum Himmel glühn, Muß oft der frohe Tag noch kommen, Lang deines Lebens Freuden blühn. Germanien, in fernen Zonen Nennen Waisen Vater dich, Dein Haupt umglänzen Bürgerkronen, Und gute Fürsten lieben dich. Ein Hochgefühl und reine Freude Hält immer uns mit dir vereint, Ein lorbeerreicher Nestor scheide Einst spät von uns und allbeweint.