Tod in Ähren
Language: German (Deutsch)
Available translation(s): ENG FRE
Im Weizenfeld, [in]1 Korn und Mohn,
Liegt ein Soldat, unaufgefunden,
Zwei Tage schon, zwei Nächte schon,
Mit schweren Wunden, unverbunden.
Durstüberquält und fieberwild,
Im Todeskampf [den Kopf erhoben]2.
Ein letzter Traum, ein letztes Bild,
Sein brechend Auge schlägt nach oben.
Die Sense rauscht im Ährenfeld,
Er sieht sein Dorf im Arbeitsfrieden,
Ade, ade, du Heimatwelt -
Und beugt das Haupt und ist verschieden.
View original text (without footnotes)
Confirmed with Detlev von Liliencron, Adjutantenritte, Zweite Auflage, Berlin, Schuster & Loeffler, 1896, page 14.
1 Zemlinsky: "im" (typo?)
2 Zemlinsky: "sein brechend Auge schlägt nach oben" (from the fourth line)
Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Johanna Müller-Hermann (1878 - 1941), "Tod in Ähren", op. 1 (Sieben Lieder) no. 2 (<<1903), published 1903, first performed 1904 [ voice and piano ], Gutmann [sung text not yet checked]
- by Friedrich Niggli (1875 - 1959), "Tod in Ähren", op. 8 (Zehn Lieder) no. 2 [ voice, piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hans Pogge , "Tod in Ähren", op. 3 no. 3, published 1901 [ voice and piano ], from Fünf Gedichte von Detlev Freihrerrn von Lilienkron für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte, no. 3, Hamburg, Leichssenring [sung text not yet checked]
- by Alexander Zemlinsky (1871 - 1942), "Tod in Ähren", op. 8 (Vier Gesänge) no. 4 (1900?) [sung text checked 1 time]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Death among the corn", copyright ©
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Mort dans les blés", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [
Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 63
Death among the corn
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch)
In the wheatfield, among corn and poppies,
lies a soldier, undiscovered
now for two days already, and two nights;
with heavy wounds, unbound.
Tormented by thirst and wild with fever,
in the throes of death, [he lifts his head]1.
A last dream, a last image,
he rolls his breaking eyes upwards.
The scythe whispers in the cornfield,
he sees his village in peaceful toil,
adieu, adieu, you world of home -
and bows his head and departs.
View original text (without footnotes)
1 Zemlinsky: "he rolls his breaking eyes upwards"
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Emily Ezust
Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:
Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
from the LiederNet Archive -- https://www.lieder.net/
For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.
licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 77