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In Vaters Garten heimlich steht Ein Blümchen, traurig und bleich; Der Winter zieht fort, der Frühling weht, Bleich Blümchen bleibt immer so bleich. Die bleiche Blume schaut Wie eine kranke Braut. Zu mir bleich Blümchen leise spricht: "Lieb Brüderchen, pflücke mich!" Zu Blümchen sprech' ich: Das thu' ich nicht, Ich pflücke nimmermehr dich. Ich such' mit Müh' und Not Die Blume purpurrot. Bleich Blümchen spricht: "Such hin, such her, Bis an deinen kühlen Tod, Du suchst umsonst, findst nimmermehr Die Blume purpurrot. Mich aber pflücken thu, Ich bin so krank wie du." So lispelt bleich Blümchen, und bittet sehr -- Da zag' ich, und pflück' ich es schnell. Und plötzlich blutet mein Herze nicht mehr, Mein inneres Auge wird hell. In meine wunde Brust Kommt stille Engellust.
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with Heinrich Heine’s sämtliche Werke in vier Bänden, herausgegeben von Otto F. Lachmann, Erster Band, Leipzig: Druck und Verlag von Philipp Reclam jun., [no year], page 34
Authorship:
- by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), "Die weiße Blume", appears in Nachgelesene Gedichte 1812-1827, no. 49 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Emil Bezecný (1868 - 1904), "In Vaters Garten heimlich steht", op. 2 (Lieder und Balladen für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung), Heft 1 no. 2, published 1890 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Breitkopf & Härtel [sung text not yet checked]
- by Richard Georg Strauss (1864 - 1949), "In Vaters Garten heimlich steht", WoO 64 (1879), published 1968 [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Secretly standing in my father’s garden", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Dans le jardin de mon père se tenai", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 127
Secretly standing in my father’s garden Is a little flower, sad and pale; Winter is departing, springtime breezes are blowing, The pale little flower ever remains pale. The pale flower looks Like a sick bride. The pale little flower quietly speaks to me: Dear little brother, pick me! To the little flower I say: That I shall not do, I shall never pick you; With toil and hardship I am seeking The crimson flower. The pale little flower says: Search here, search there, Until your cold death, You search in vain, you shall never find The crimson flower; But pick me, do, I am as ill as you are. Thus whispers the pale little flower, and pleads sorely - Then I hesitate and pick it quickly. And suddenly my heart no longer bleeds, My inner eye becomes bright. Into my wounded bosom Comes the quiet joy of the angels.
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2014 by Sharon Krebs, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), "Die weiße Blume", appears in Nachgelesene Gedichte 1812-1827, no. 49
This text was added to the website: 2014-07-09
Line count: 24
Word count: 149