by Johann Gottfried Herder (1744 - 1803)
Translation Singable translation by Paul England (c1863 - c1932)
Schlachtgesang
Language: German (Deutsch)
Kein sel'ger Tod ist in der Welt, als wer vor'm Feind erschlagen auf grüner Heid' im freien Feld darf nicht hör'n groß Wehklagen. Im engen Bett, da Ein'r allein muß an den Todesreihen; hier aber find't er [G'sellschaft]1 fein, fall'n mit wie Kräuter im Maien. Ich sag' [ohn']2 Spott, kein selig'r Tod ist in der Welt, als so man fällt auf grüner Heid' ohn' Klag' und Leid! Mit [Trommeln-Klang]3 und [Pfeifen-G'sang]4 wird man begraben, davon tut haben unsterblichen Ruhm. Mancher Held fromm hat zugesetzt Leib und Blute dem Vaterland zu Gute.
View text without footnotes
2 Strauss: "ohne"
3 Strauss: "Trommelklang"
4 Strauss: "Pfeifensang"
Researcher for this page: Johann Winkler
Confirmed with Dr. Wollheim da Fonseca (Hrsg.), Herders Stimmen der Völker. Berlin, no date
1 Strauss: "Gesellschaft"2 Strauss: "ohne"
3 Strauss: "Trommelklang"
4 Strauss: "Pfeifensang"
Text Authorship:
- by Johann Gottfried Herder (1744 - 1803), "Schlachtgesang" [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 Richard Georg Strauss (1864 - 1949), "Schlachtgesang", op. 45 (Drei Männerchöre) no. 1 [ men's chorus ], from a manuscript in the BSB, also set in English [sung text checked 1 time]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in English, a translation by Paul England (c1863 - c1932) ; composed by Richard Georg Strauss.
Researcher for this page: Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website: 2026-08-20
Line count: 22
Word count: 95
Battle‑Song
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
What nobler fate in all the world than for one's country dying upon the stricken field to fall, far from vain tears and sighing? The wretched wight who dies in bed, death all alone has found him; there gallant comrades at his side fall, thick as leaves, around him. By heaven, I swear, no death so fair in all the world as thus to lie beneath the sky, no mourner nigh! With drums that roll and bugle call let them be buried thus to inherit undying fame! Honour their name who fall and perish their fatherland to cherish!
From the Strauss score.
Text Authorship:
- Singable translation by Paul England (c1863 - c1932) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Johann Gottfried Herder (1744 - 1803), "Schlachtgesang"
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Richard Georg Strauss (1864 - 1949), "Battle-Song", op. 45 (Drei Männerchöre) no. 1 [ men's chorus ], from a manuscript in the BSB, also set in German (Deutsch) [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website: 2026-08-20
Line count: 22
Word count: 98