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Ein Schifflein ziehet leise Den Strom hin seine Gleise. Es schweigen, die drin wandern, [Denn]1 keiner kennt den Andern. Was zieht hier aus dem Felle Der braune [Weidgeselle]2? Ein Horn, das sanft [erschallet]3; Das Ufer [widerhallet]4. Von seinem Wanderstabe Schraubt jener Stift und Habe, Und mischt mit Flötentönen Sich in des Hornes Dröhnen. Das Mädchen saß so blöde, Als fehlt' ihr gar die Rede, Jetzt stimmt sie mit Gesange Zu Horn und [Flötenklange]5. Die [Rudrer auch]6 sich regen [Mit taktgemäßen]7 Schlägen. Das Schiff hinunter flieget, Von Melodie gewieget. Hart stößt es auf am Strande, Man trennt sich in die Lande: Wann treffen wir uns, Brüder? Auf einem Schifflein wieder?
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View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Uhlands Werke, Erster Teil, Gedichte, herausgegeben von Adalbert Silbermann, Berlin, Leipzig, Wien, Stuttgart: Deutsches Verlagshaus Bong & Co., [no year], page 144.
Note: Josephine Lang composed two different unpublished settings of this text, neither of which is dated. The setting with only one manuscript has been designated "first setting" and the one with four manuscript versions has been designated "second setting." In the first setting the last line of stanza 5 is not in the score, although there vocal notes to which it could fit. For the second setting, footnotes have been provided for V4 only.
1 error in Lang (both settings): "Den"2 in some versions of Uhland: "Waldgeselle" or "Waidgeselle"; Lang, Mendelssohn, and Schumann: "Waidgeselle")
3 Lang (first setting): "erschallt", but correct when text is repeated
4 some versions of Uhland : "wiederhallet"; Lang (first setting): "wiederhallet", but "wiederhallt" when text is repeated; Lang (second setting): "wiederhallt", but "wiederhallet" when text is repeated
5 Lang (first setting): "Flöten Klange"
6 in some versions of Uhland: "Schiffer auch"; Kreutzer: "Rudrer all'"; Lang (both settings), Mendelssohn: "Ruder auch"
7 Lang (both settings): "Mit Tackt gemäß'gen"
Text Authorship:
- by Johann Ludwig Uhland (1787 - 1862), "Das Schifflein", appears in Balladen und Romanzen [author's text checked 1 time 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 Frederick Brandeis (1835 - 1899), "Das Schifflein", op. 43 no. 3, published 1877 [ voice and piano ], from Four Songs, no. 3, New York: Martens Brothers, also set in English [sung text not yet checked]
- by Felix (August Bernhard) Draeseke (1835 - 1913), "Das Schifflein", op. 20 no. 1, published 1882 [ high voice and piano ], from Landschaftsbilder. Sechs Gesänge, no. 1, Dresden, Hoffarth [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Gottfried Emil Fischer (1791 - 1841), "Das Schifflein", published 1842 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Friedrich Theodor Fröhlich (1803 - 1836), "Das Schifflein", op. 13 (Lieder im Volkston für vier Männerstimmen) no. 11 [ four-part men's chorus a cappella ], Berlin: Bethge [sung text not yet checked]
- by Robert Gund (1865 - 1927), "Das Schifflein", op. 39 (Sechs Lieder) no. 3 (1914) [sung text not yet checked]
- by Christian Frederik Emil Horneman (1840 - 1906), "Das Schifflein", published 1877 [ voice and piano ], from Fünf Gedichte für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte, no. 4, Berlin, Fürstner [sung text not yet checked]
- by Conradin Kreutzer (1780 - 1849), "Das Schifflein", op. 60, Heft 2 (2. Folge der Frühlings- und Wanderlieder) no. 11, KWV 9107 no. 11 [ voice and piano ], from 12 Lieder und Romanzen von L. Uhland, für 1 und 2 Singstimmen mit Pianoforte, no. 11, Leipzig, Kistner [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Josephine Lang (1815 - 1880), no title [ voice and piano ], unpublished (first setting) [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Josephine Lang (1815 - 1880), "Das Schifflein" [ voice and piano ], unpublished (second setting) [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Carl Loewe (1796 - 1869), "Das Schifflein", 1835 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847), "Das Schifflein", op. posth. 99 (Sechs Gesänge für eine Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 4 (1841) [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Hans Michael Schletterer (1824 - 1893), "Das Schifflein ", op. 39 (6 Chorgesänge für S., A., T. und B. ) no. 6, published 1860 [ SATB chorus a cappella ], Magdeburg, Heinrichshofen [sung text not yet checked]
- by Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856), "Das Schifflein", op. posth. 146 (Romanzen und Balladen für Chor (Heft 4)) no. 5 (1849), published 1860, Elberfeld, Arnold [sung text checked 1 time]
- by (Philipp) Friedrich Silcher (1789 - 1860), "Das Schifflein" [sung text checked 1 time]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in English, a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Frederick Brandeis.
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "La barqueta", copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Het scheepje", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "The little ship", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Le petit bateau", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Gianni Franceschi) , "La barchetta", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor] , Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 109
Een scheepje trekt verloren Stroomafwaarts stil zijn sporen. Die daarop reizen, zwijgen: Met niemand zijn zij eigen. Wat trekt uit zijn bagage De bruin gebronsde jager? Een hoorn, die zacht gaat zingen; De wal laat echo's springen. Een wand'laar op de reisschuit Haalt uit zijn stok een dwarsfluit, En mengt bij 't horentuiten Nu ook een lieflijk fluiten. Een meisje zat verlegen Als hield haar tong haar tegen, Nu voegt zij toe haar zingen Aan 't fluit- en horenswingen. De roeiers gaan hun slagen Tot in de maat vertragen. Het schip begint te jagen, Door tonen voortgedragen. Hard stoot het op het strand en Men zwermt naar alle kanten: "Tot ziens wanneer, o vrinden? Nog eens zo'n schip te vinden!1
1 Bij Schumann aangevuld met: Eens! Eens! Eens!
Text Authorship:
- Singable translation from German (Deutsch) to Dutch (Nederlands) copyright © 2013 by Lau Kanen, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., please ask the copyright-holder(s) directly.
Lau Kanen.  Contact: boudewijnkanen (AT) gmail (DOT) com
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Johann Ludwig Uhland (1787 - 1862), "Das Schifflein", appears in Balladen und Romanzen
This text was added to the website: 2013-11-12
Line count: 24
Word count: 120