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O Liebe, die am Kreuze rang, O Liebe, die den Tod bezwang Für alle Menschenkinder, Gedenk' in dieser [sel'gen]1 Nacht, Die dich zu uns herabgebracht, Der Seelen, die dir [fehlen]2! O Liebe, die den Stern gesandt Hinaus ins ferne Morgenland, Die Könige zu rufen; Die laut durch ihres Boten Mund Sich gab den armen Hirten kund, [Wie bist du still geworden?]3 Noch eine fromme Hirtin liegt In blindem Schlummer eingewiegt Und träumt von grünen Bäumen. Singt nicht vor ihrem Fensterlein Ein Engel: Esther, lass mich ein, Der Heiland ist geboren?
C. Banck sets stanzas 1-2
Confirmed with Gedichte von Wilhelm Müller, Leipzig: F. A. Brockhaus, 1868, page 24. Note: this edition has a typo in stanza 3, line 2 ("blinden" instead of "blindem"), which has been corrected above.
1 Mendelssohn-Hensel: "heil'gen"2 Banck: "glauben"
3 Banck: "Sei gnädig deinem Kinde!"
Text Authorship:
- by Wilhelm Müller (1794 - 1827), "Gebet in der Christnacht", appears in Gedichte aus den hinterlassenen Papieren eines reisenden Waldhornisten 1, in Johannes und Esther. Im Frühling zu lesen [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 Carl Banck (1809 - 1889), "Gebet in der Christnacht", op. 53 no. 5, stanzas 1-2 [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Friedrich Theodor Fröhlich (1803 - 1836), "Gebet in der Christnacht", 1826 [ voice and piano ], from Johannes und Esther, no. 2, confirmed with a CD booklet [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Fanny Hensel (1805 - 1847), "Gebet in der Christnacht", 1823 [sung text checked 1 time]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in French (Français), adapted by Émile Jacques-Dalcroze (1865 - 1950) ; composed by Émile Jacques-Dalcroze.
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
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Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Gebed in de kerstnacht", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Michael P Rosewall) , "Prayer on Christmas Eve", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Prière pour la nuit de Noël", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Lau Kanen [Guest Editor] , Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website: 2007-08-02
Line count: 18
Word count: 93
Ô amour, qui a souffert sur la croix, ô amour, qui a surmonté la mort Pour tous les enfants des hommes, Pense, en cette nuit sainte, À ce qui t'a amené jusqu'à nous, Ces âmes, à qui tu manques ! Ô amour, qui a envoyé l'étoile Dans le lointain orient, Pour appeler les Rois ; Qui fortement par la bouche du messager A fait savoir aux pauvres bergers Comment silencieusement tu es venu ? Une pieuse bergère est encore allongée, Bercée dans un sommeil aveugle Et rêve d'arbres verts. À sa petite fenêtre chante Un ange : Esther, laisse-moi entrer, Le sauveur est-il né ?
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to French (Français) copyright © 2014 by Guy Laffaille, (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.
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Wilhelm Müller (1794 - 1827), "Gebet in der Christnacht", appears in Gedichte aus den hinterlassenen Papieren eines reisenden Waldhornisten 1, in Johannes und Esther. Im Frühling zu lesen
This text was added to the website: 2014-04-23
Line count: 18
Word count: 100