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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"Text 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- by Erich Zeisl (1905 - 1959), "Letzter Tanz", 1931 [ baritone and piano ], from Liedercyklus, no. 3, unpublished [sung text not yet checked]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: 143
The grey house glows as if in a fever, Swathes of light fall from it widely Upon the summer-bleached streets. The hall is completely aflame with candles, And we two dance the last dance Before we must part from each other. I travelled from sea to sea, And when I came home with heavy pockets, You were the bride of another; The sparrows were calling the news from every rooftop, The cousins hissed it and spread it about: That's what comes of going off wandering, wandering. We dance as if death had seized you, The train of your dress, edged with lace, Drags through the wilted orange [blossom] twigs, The clock hands are already approaching midnight, Your young husband sees it and laughs -- The violins are sobbing so wildly . . I would we were straying about in a Nordic land Loved by no one, known by no one, In a snowstorm over the heath, And that you were resting unconsciously Within my coat, upon my breast, And that we would both die.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2013 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 Emil Rudolf Osman, Prinz von Schönaich-Carolath (1852 - 1908), "Letzter Tanz", subtitle: "Ballade"
This text was added to the website: 2013-11-18
Line count: 24
Word count: 173