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Es grub der Tod ein Kämmerlein, Grub's in die Erde tief, Gar weit von Schmerz und Sonnenschein -- Mein schöner Liebster schlich hinein Und schlief. Ich kniee draußen ganz allein Und klopfe an die Thür: "Wenn du mich liebst, erbarm' dich mein Und tritt aus deinem Kämmerlein Herfür!" Nichts regt sich! Nur des Käuzchens Schrein Irrt durch die Luft so hohl! Ein Schauer rinnt durch mein Gebein -- Wie schwarz die Nacht, wie kalt der Stein . . . "Leb wohl . . ."
Confirmed with Anna Ritter, Befreiung. Neue Gedichte, Fünfte Auflage, Stuttgart: J.G. Cotta'sche Buchhandlung Nachfolger, 1900, page 23.
Text Authorship:
- by Anna (Nuhn) Ritter (1865 - 1921), "Das tiefe Kämmerlein", appears in Befreiung. Neue Gedichte, in 2. Es grub der Tod ein Kämmerlein, no. 1 [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 Johan Backer-Lunde (1874 - 1958), "Das tiefe Kämmerlein", op. 34 no. ? [ voice and orchestra ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Marie Charlotte Henriette von Kehler (1822 - 1882), "Das tiefe Kämmerlein", op. 18 (Sechs Lieder für 1 tiefe Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 2, published 1900 [ low voice and piano ], Kassel, Kramer-Bangert [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "The deep little chamber", copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "La petite chambre profonde", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2008-07-01
Line count: 15
Word count: 82
Death dug a little chamber, Dug it deep into the earth, Far, far from pain and sunshine -- My beautiful love crept into it And slept. I kneel outside quite alone And knock upon the door: "If you love me, take pity on me And come out of your little chamber, Come out!" Nothing stirs! Only the owl's cry Strays through the air so hollowly! A shudder runs through my bones -- How black the night, how cold the stone . . . "Farewell . . . "
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2023 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.
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Anna (Nuhn) Ritter (1865 - 1921), "Das tiefe Kämmerlein", appears in Befreiung. Neue Gedichte, in 2. Es grub der Tod ein Kämmerlein, no. 1
This text was added to the website: 2023-11-14
Line count: 15
Word count: 86