by
Gottfried Keller (1819 - 1890)
Das Gärtlein dicht verschlossen
Language: German (Deutsch)
Das Gärtlein dicht verschlossen
Hältst wohl du, frommes Kind,
Da diese Heckensprossen
So eng verwachsen sind?
Doch blüht die Unschuld immer
Darin, soviel ich seh';
Sonst war es Lilienschimmer,
Nun ist es weisser Schnee!
Als hätt' der gnadenreichen
Maria reinste Hand
Im Sonnenschein zum Bleichen
Ihr Hemdlein ausgespannt.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Hermann Reutter (1900 - 1985), "Das Gärtlein dicht verschlossen", op. 59 (Neun Lieder und Gesänge nach Gedichten von Gottfried Keller) no. 2 (1944) [sung text not yet checked]
- by Peter Otto Schneider (1901 - 1981), "Das Gärtlein dicht verschlossen", 1926 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Richard Schweizer (1868 - 1906), "Das Gärtlein dicht verschlossen", op. 22 no. 5, from Alte Weisen, no. 5 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Felix Paul Weingartner (1863 - 1942), "Das Gärtlein dicht verschlossen", op. 22 (Zwölf Gedichte von Gottfried Keller für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 11, published 1896 [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (John Glenn Paton) , "You really keep the garden", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Harry Joelson
This text was added to the website: 2006-12-30
Line count: 12
Word count: 48
You really keep the garden
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
You really keep the garden
thickly enclosed, pious child,
where these hedge twigs
have grown so close together?
Indeed, innocence still blooms
inside it, as far as I can see.
Once it was a lily's brightness,
now it is white snow.
As if merciful
Mary's most pure hand
had spread out her blouse
to bleach in the sunshine.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2007 by John Glenn Paton, (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:
This text was added to the website: 2007-11-23
Line count: 12
Word count: 58
