The wooden chamber

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by Friedrich von Matthisson (1761 - 1831)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Geistertanz

(Sung text for setting by J. Lang)

See original

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:

Josephine Lang

Text Authorship:

by Friedrich von Matthisson (1761 - 1831), "Der Geistertanz", written 1797-98

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

Dance of the spirits

(Sung text translation for setting by J. Lang)

See original

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

The wooden chamber
   Of the dead quakes
When midnight lifts the clock’s hammer
   Twelve times.

We dance rapidly around graves
   And mouldering bones,
We airy hovering ones
   Dance our whirling roundelay.

Why do the dogs whine
   Beside their sleeping masters?
They sense the circle
   Of dancing spirits so far away.

The ravens fly out from
   The desolate abbey,
And flee past the fences
   Of the churchyard.

We lark about and jest
   Going downward and upward
Like errant candles
   In the misty moor.

 ... 

Deep within the gloomy chamber
   You concealed our pain;
We happy ones joyfully
   Whisper to you: Adieu!

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

Translation of the epigraph:

We are dust and shadows.
              Horace.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2017 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 Friedrich von Matthisson (1761 - 1831), "Der Geistertanz", written 1797-98
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This text was added to the website: 2017-02-22
Line count: 28
Word count: 119