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by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
Translation © by Pierre Mathé

Der Ball auf dem Kirchhofe
 (Sung text for setting by F. Lachner)
 See original
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  FRE
Die Jungfrau schläft in der Kammer,
der Mond schaut zitternd hinein;
da draußen singt es und klingt es,
wie Walzermelodein.

"Ich will mal schaun aus dem Fenster,
wer drunten stört meine Ruh."
Da steht ein Totengerippe,
und fiedelt und singt dazu:

"Hast einst mir den Tanz versprochen,
und hast gebrochen dein Wort,
und heut ist Ball auf dem Kirchhof,
komm mit, wir tanzen dazu."

Die Jungfrau ergreift es gewaltig,
es lockt sie heraus aus dem Haus;
sie folgt dem Gerippe, das singend
und fiedelnd schreitet voraus.

Es fiedelt und tänzelt und hüpfet,
und klappert mit seinem Gebein,
und nickt und nickt mit dem Schädel
unheimlich im Mondenschein.

Note: Lachner's setting includes a flauto obbligato part so the words "fiedelt" (two occurrences) and "fiedeln" may be replaced with "pfeift" and "pfeifend" respectively.

Composition:

    Set to music by Franz Paul Lachner (1803 - 1890), "Der Ball auf dem Kirchhofe", op. 34 no. 1 [ voice, piano, and violoncello (or flute, violin, or horn) ]

Text Authorship:

  • by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), no title, appears in Buch der Lieder, in Die Heimkehr, no. 22

See other settings of this text.

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

  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2009, (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 between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 112

La pucelle dort dans sa chambre
 (Sung text translation for setting by F. Lachner)
 See original
Language: French (Français)  after the German (Deutsch) 
La pucelle dort dans sa chambre,
La lune y entre en tremblant ;
Dehors on chante et on sonne,
C'est comme un air de valse.

« Je voudrais bien voir par la fenêtre,
Qui en bas dérange mon repos. »
Il y a là un squelette,
Qui joue du violon et chante ainsi :

« Tu m'as un jour promis une danse,
Et tu n'as pas tenu parole,
Et aujourd'hui il y a bal au cimetière,
Viens avec moi, nous y danserons. »

Il saisit la pucelle avec vigueur ,
Il l'attire hors de la maison ;
Elle suit le squelette qui en chantant
Et en jouant du violon la devance.

Il joue du violon, et danse et sautille,
Et fait claquer ses ossements,
Et hoche et hoche le crâne,
Inquiétant dans le clair de lune.

About the headline (FAQ)

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to French (Français) copyright © 2009 by Pierre Mathé, (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 Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), no title, appears in Buch der Lieder, in Die Heimkehr, no. 22
    • Go to the text page.

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website: 2009-04-01
Line count: 20
Word count: 133

Gentle Reminder

This website began in 1995 as a personal project by Emily Ezust, who has been working on it full-time without a salary since 2008. Our research has never had any government or institutional funding, so if you found the information here useful, please consider making a donation. Your help is greatly appreciated!
–Emily Ezust, Founder

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