by Friedrich von Matthisson (1761 - 1831)

Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT DUT ENG FRE ITA
Die bretterne Kammer
   Der Todten erbebt,
Wenn zwölfmal den Hammer
   Die Mitternacht hebt.

Rasch tanzen um Gräber
   Und morsches Gebein
Wir luftigen Schweber
   Den sausenden Reihn.

Was winseln die Hunde
   Beim schlafenden Herrn?
Sie wittern die Runde
   Der Geister so fern.

Die Raben entflattern
   Der wüsten Abtei,
Und fliehn vor den Gattern
   Des Kirchhofs vorbei.

Wir gaukeln, und scherzen
   Hinab und empor,
Gleich irrenden Kerzen
   Im dunstigen Moor.

 ... 

Tief bargst du im düstern
   Gemach unser Weh;
Wir Glücklichen flüstern
   Dir fröhlich: Ade!

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-5,7 of the original text.

Composition:

    Set to music by Josephine Lang (1815 - 1880), "Geistertanz", op. 5 no. 4, published 1834, stanzas 1-5,7 [ voice and piano ], note: first published without an opus number; designated in 1867 as opus 5; München: Falter und Sohn

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ITA Italian (Italiano) (Antonio Zencovich) , copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor], Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 28
Word count: 100