Es glüht im Fieber das graue Haus, Lichtstreifen fallen breit hinaus Auf [sommertrübe]1 Gassen; Es flammt der Saal von Kerzen ganz, Und wir beide tanzen den letzten Tanz, Eh' wir uns müssen lassen. Ich bin gezogen von Meer zu Meer, Und als ich heimkam, die Taschen schwer, Warst du die Braut eines andern; Die Spatzen riefen's von jedem Dach, Die Basen zischten und sprachen's nach: Das kommt vom Wandern, vom Wandern. Wir tanzen, als habe der Tod dich gepackt, Es fegt deine Schleppe spitzengezackt In welken Orangenzweigen, Schon geht der Zeiger auf Mitternacht, Dein junger Gemahl, er sieht's und lacht -- Es schluchzen so wild die Geigen . . Ich wollte, wir irrten im nordischen Land Von keinem geliebt, von keinem gekannt, Im Schneesturm über die Heide, Und daß du ruhtest unbewußt In meinem Mantel, an meiner Brust, Und daß wir stürben beide.
Confirmed with Dichtungen von Prinz Emil von Schönaich-Carolath, Eilfte und zwölfte Auflage, Leipzig, G. J. Göschen'sche Verlagshandlung, 1911, page 240 (above); also confirmed with Deutsche Lyrik seit Goethe's Tode. Ausgewählt von Maximilian Bern, Neue Ausgabe, Zwölfte, verbesserte Auflage, Leipzig, Druck und Verlag von Philipp Reclam, 1893, page 502 (see note 1).
1 Weingartner, the anthology Deutsche Lyric...: "sommeröden"Authorship:
- by Emil Rudolf Osman, Prinz von Schönaich-Carolath (1852 - 1908), "Letzter Tanz", subtitle: "Ballade" [author's text checked 2 times 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 Felix Paul Weingartner (1863 - 1942), "Letzter Tanz", op. 36 (4 Gesänge) no. 2 (1901-1903), published 1904 [ soprano and orchestra ], Leipzig: Breitkopf und Härtel [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Erich Zeisl (1905 - 1959), "Letzter Tanz", 1931 [ baritone and piano ], from Liedercyklus, no. 3, unpublished [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Last dance", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (David A. Poirier) , "The last dance", copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English [singable] (William Wallace) , "The last dance"
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor] , Laura Prichard [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2011-07-23
Line count: 24
Word count: 142
The street is empty this summer night, the windows are lit, and blaze with light, and the house resounds with laughter. The candles flare against the wall, and this dance for us is the last of all, nothing much matters after. I’ve known the hazard of sea and land, homeward I drift, with an empty hand, finding your love failed proving. The sparrows chatter on every roof, and ev’ry friend has the same reproof: That comes of wand’ring, or roving. We dance with death and the devil behind, your flounces are whirling, flung to the wind, your orange blossoms are drooping. Midnight is striking, the clockhand plods, your husband is near, he smiles and nods - The fiddles are wildly whooping. ’T were better, we wander’d forsaken, unknown, o’er northern wastes, our twin selves alone, where snowdrifts blew o’er the heather: Better you lay asleep, at rest, my cloak about you, upon my breast - ’T were well we died together.
Authorship:
- Singable translation by William Wallace (1860 - 1940), "The last dance" [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Emil Rudolf Osman, Prinz von Schönaich-Carolath (1852 - 1908), "Letzter Tanz", subtitle: "Ballade"
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Researcher for this page: Laura Prichard [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2023-10-08
Line count: 24
Word count: 161