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Heil'ge Nacht, auf Engelsschwingen Nahst du leise dich der Welt, Und die Glocken hör' ich klingen, Und die Fenster sind erhellt; Selbst die Hütte trieft von Segen, Und der Kindlein froher Dank Jauchzt dem Himmelskind entgegen, Und ihr Stammeln wird Gesang. Mit der Fülle süßer Lieder, Mit dem Glanz um Thal und Höhn, Heil'ge Nacht, so kehrst du wieder, Wie die Welt dich einst gesehn? Da die Palmen lauter rauschten, Und, versenkt in Dämmerung, Erd' und Himmel Worte tauschten, Worte der Verkündigung; Da, mit Purpur übergossen, Aufgetan von Gottes Hand, Alle Himmel sich erschlossen, Glänzend über Meer und Land; Da, den Frieden zu verkünden, Sich der Engel niederschwang, Auf den Höhen, in den Gründen Die Verheißung wiederklang; Da, der Jungfrau Sohn zu dienen, Fürsten aus dem Morgenland In der Hirten Kreis erschienen, Gold und Myrrhen in der Hand; Da mit seligem Entzücken Sich die Mutter niederbog, Sinnend aus des Kindes Blicken Nie gefühlte Freude zog. Heil'ge Nacht, mit tausend Kerzen Steigst du feierlich herauf: O so geh' in unsern Herzen, Stern des Lebens, geh' uns auf! Schau, im Himmel und auf Erden Glänzt der Liebe Rosenschein: Friede soll's noch einmal werden Und die Liebe König sein! --
G. Graben-Hoffmann sets stanzas 1-2, 5
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with Gedichte von Robert Prutz, Dritte verbesserte und vermehrte Auflage, Leipzig: Verlagsbuchhandlung von J.J. Weber, 1857, pages 106-108.
Text Authorship:
- by Robert Eduard Prutz (1816 - 1872), title 1: "Heilge Nacht", title 2: "Christnacht", subtitle: "1833", written 1833 [author's text checked 2 times 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 (Gustav) Adolf Brandt (1838 - 1919), "Christnacht", op. 9 no. 4, published 1895 [ men's chorus ], from Vier Lieder (Frühling, Sommer, Herbst und Winter) für Männerchor, no. 4, Magdeburg, Rathke [sung text not yet checked]
- by Franz Theodor Cursch-Bühren (1859 - 1908), "Weihnachtslied", op. 82 (Vier Lieder im Volkston für dreistimmigen Frauenchor) no. 1, published 1897 [ ssa chorus ], Leipzig: Portius [sung text not yet checked]
- by Theodor Gaugler (1840 - 1892), "Christnacht", op. 23 no. 5, published 1876 [ women's chorus or boys' chorus ], from Sammlung drei- und vierstimmigen Lieder für Frauenchor (Mädchen- oder ungebrochene Knabenstimme) z. Gebr. in Schule und Verein, no. 5, Binningen, (Kompfe) [sung text not yet checked]
- by Gustav Heinrich Graben-Hoffmann (1820 - 1900), "Gruß an die Heilige Nacht", op. 107 no. 2, published c1883, stanzas 1-2,5 [ voice and piano ], from Frühlingsstimmen: Neue Liederspende für die Jugend, no. 2, Dresden: L. Hoffarth [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Joseph (Gabriel) Rheinberger (1839 - 1901), "Heilge Nacht, auf Engelschwingen", op. 128 no. 3 [ voice and organ ], from Vier elegische Gesänge, no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor] , Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website: 2008-01-04
Line count: 40
Word count: 196
Holy night, upon the pinions of angels You quietly approach the world, And I hear the bells ringing, And the windows are brightly lit; Even the hut is dripping with blessings, And the happy gratitude of the children Rejoices toward the Child of Heaven, And their stammering becomes song. With the fullness of sweet songs, With the radiance about valley and heights, Holy night, thus you return As the world once saw you? When the palms rustled more loudly, And, sunken in twilight, Earth and heaven exchanged words, Words of proclamation. When, suffused with crimson, God's hand was opened, All the skies were radiantly Opened over land and sea; When to proclaim peace The angel descended, [When] upon the heights, in the dales Echoed the great promise; When, to worship the son of the Virgin, Nobles from the East appeared In the circle of the shepherds With gold and myrrh in their hands; When with blessed rapture The mother bowed down; Musing, she drew joy, never felt before, From the eyes of the Child. Holy night, with a thousand candles You rise up ceremoniously: Oh, arise thus within our hearts, Star of life, arise for us! Look, in Heaven and upon earth The rosy glow of love shines: There shall be peace once more And love shall be king! --
About the headline (FAQ)
Translations of titles:
"Christnacht" = "Christmas Eve"
"Gruß an die Heilige Nacht" = "A greeting to the Holy Night"
"Heilge Nacht" = "Holy Night"
"Heilge Nacht, auf Engelschwingen" = "Holy night, upon the pinions of angels"
"Weihnachtslied" = "Christmas song"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2024 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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Robert Eduard Prutz (1816 - 1872), title 1: "Heilge Nacht", title 2: "Christnacht", subtitle: "1833", written 1833
This text was added to the website: 2024-12-17
Line count: 40
Word count: 219