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Nachts um die zwölfte Stunde
Verläßt der Tambour sein Grab,
Macht mit der Trommel die Runde,
Geht wirbelnd auf und ab.
Mit seinen entfleischten Armen
Rührt er die Schlägel zugleich,
Schlägt manchen guten Wirbel,
Reveill' und Zapfenstreich.
Die Trommel klinget seltsam,
Hat gar einen starken Ton:
Die alten toten Soldaten
Erwachen im Grabe davon.
Und die im tiefen Norden
Erstarrt in Schnee und Eis,
Und die in Welschland liegen,
Wo ihnen die Erde zu heiß;
Und die der Nilschlamm decket
Und der arab'sche Sand,
Sie steigen aus den Gräbern
Sie nehmens Gewehr zur Hand.
-----
...
Da kommen auf luftigen Pferden
Die toten Reiter herbei,
Die blutigen alten Schwadronen
In Waffen mancherlei.
...
Und um die zwölfte Stunde
Verläßt der Feldherr sein Grab,
Kommt langsam hergeritten,
Umgeben von seinem Stab.
Er trägt ein kleines Hütchen,
Er trägt ein einfach Kleid,
Und einen kleinen Degen
Trägt er an seiner Seit'.
Der Mond mit gelbem Lichte
Erhellt den weiten Plan:
Der Mann im kleinen Hütchen
Sieht sich die Truppen an.
Die Reihen präsentieren
Und schultern das Gewehr,
Dann zieht mit klingendem Spiele
Vorbei das ganze Heer.
Die Marschälle und Generale
Schließen um ihn den Kreis:
Der Feldherr sagt dem Nächsten
Ins Ohr ein Wörtchen leis.
Das Wort geht in die Runde
Klingt wieder fern und nah:
„Frankreich“ heißt die Parole,
Die Losung: „Sanct Helena!“ —
Das ist die große Parade
Im elysäischen Feld,
Die um die zwölfte Stunde
Der tote Kaiser hält.
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-5,7,9-15 of the original text.
Composition:
- Set to music by Willem Pijper (1894 - 1947), "Die nächtliche Heerschau", 1943, stanzas 1-5,7,9-15 [ voice and piano ], also set in French (Français)
Text Authorship:
- by Joseph Christian Freiherr von Zedlitz (1796 - 1869), "Die nächtliche Heerschau", appears in Gedichte, in Romanzen, Balladen, Lieder
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (David Wyatt) , "The night-time review", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website: 2003-11-10
Line count: 62
Word count: 298
At night, the twelfth hour, The drummer leaves his tomb, Sounds a roll with his drum, Goes whirling up and down With his fleshless arms He moves the sticks together Beats out a real whirlwind Calls Reveille and the Tattoo. The drum sounds strange, Has really a striking tone, The old dead soldiers Are woken from their graves by it. Both those in the far north Frozen in snow and ice, And those lying in Italy, Where the earth is too hot; And those whom Nile's mud covers, And the Arabian sand, They climb from their graves And take their guns in hand. ... Over there come on airy steeds The dead cavalrymen, The old bloody squadrons With many a weapon. ... And at the twelfth hour The Commander leaves his tomb, Comes slowly riding here Surrounded by his staff; He wears a small hat, He wears simple clothes, And a small sword He wears at his side. The moon with yellow light Brightens the wide plain, The man in the small hat Reviews his troops. The ranks present And shoulder arms, Then with drum loud playing The whole host marches past. The Marshals and Generals Close ranks in a circle The Commander speaks to the nearest A quiet word in his ear. The word goes round, Sounds again far and near, "France" is the watchword, The reply "St Helena". That is the great parade In the Elysian Fields Which, at the twelfth hour, The dead Caesar holds.
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-5,7,9-15 of the original text.
Note for the final stanza: "Elysian Fields": the home of the dead in Hades, but also (as "Champs-Elysées") a major boulevard in Paris
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2007 by David Wyatt, (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 Joseph Christian Freiherr von Zedlitz (1796 - 1869), "Die nächtliche Heerschau", appears in Gedichte, in Romanzen, Balladen, Lieder
Go to the general single-text view
This text was added to the website: 2007-11-15
Line count: 60
Word count: 246