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Komm, o Tod, von Nacht umgeben, leise komm zu mir gegangen, daß die Lust, dich zu umfangen, nicht zurück mich ruf' ins Leben. Komm, so wie der Blitz uns rühret, den der Donner nicht verkündet, bis er plötzlich sich entzündet und den Schlag gedoppelt führet. Also seist du mir gegeben, plötzlich stillend mein Verlangen, daß die Lust, dich zu umfangen, nicht zurück mich ruf' ins Leben.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Emanuel Geibel (1815 - 1884), no title, appears in Spanisches Liederbuch, in 2. Weltliche Lieder, no. 34 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in Spanish (Español) by Comendador Escrive
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 Heuberger (1850 - 1914), "Komm' o Tod, von Nacht umgeben", op. 12 (Drei Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 3, published 1880 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Kistner [sung text not yet checked]
- by Adolph Bernhard Marx (1795 - 1866), "Komm, o Tod, von Nacht umgeben", op. 22 (Spanische Lieder), Heft 1 no. 5, published 1847 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Heinrich von Sahr (1821 - 1874), "Komm, o Tod, von Nacht umgeben", op. 11 (Sechs Lieder für Alt mit Pianoforte) no. 5, published 1878 [ alto and piano ], Leipzig, Senff [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hugo Wolf (1860 - 1903), "Komm, o Tod, von Nacht umgeben", 1889-90, from Spanisches Liederbuch: Weltliche Lieder, no. 24
Score: IMSLP [external link] [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Vine, oh mort, envoltada de nit", copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Come, O death, surrounded by night", copyright ©
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Viens, ô mort, entourée de la nuit", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2003-11-20
Line count: 12
Word count: 66
Come, O death, surrounded by night, Come gently to me, So that the desire to embrace you Will not call me back to life. Come, just as we might be struck by lightning That thunder does not announce, That ignites suddenly And deals its blow with doubled force. So may you be granted me, Abruptly silencing my yearning, So that the desire to embrace you Will not call me back to life.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Emily Ezust
Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:
Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Emanuel Geibel (1815 - 1884), no title, appears in Spanisches Liederbuch, in 2. Weltliche Lieder, no. 34
Based on:
- a text in Spanish (Español) by Comendador Escrive
This text was added to the website: 2015-01-20
Line count: 12
Word count: 72