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Am Rhein, am grünen Rheine, Da ist so mild die Nacht, Die Rebenhügel liegen In goldner [Mondespracht]1. Und an den Hügeln wandelt Ein hoher Schatten her Mit Schwert und Purpurmantel, Die [Krone]2 von Golde schwer. Das ist der Karl, der Kaiser, Der mit gewalt'ger Hand Vor vielen hundert Jahren Geherrscht im deutschen Land. Er ist heraufgestiegen Zu Aachen aus der Gruft Und segnet seine Reben Und athmet Traubenduft. Bei Rüdesheim, da funkelt Der Mond ins Wasser hinein Und baut [eine]3 goldne Brücke Wohl über den grünen Rhein. Der Kaiser geht hinüber Und schreitet langsam fort, Und segnet längs dem Strome Die Reben an jedem Ort. Dann kehrt er heim nach Aachen Und schläft in seiner Gruft, Bis ihn im neuen Jahre Erweckt der [Trauben]4 Duft. Wir aber füllen die Römer Und trinken im goldnen Saft Uns deutsches Heldenfeuer Und deutsche Heldenkraft.
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Emanuel von Geibel, Jugendgedichte, Stuttgart, Verlag der J. G. Cotta'schen Buchhandlung, 1883, pages 3-4. Modern German spelling would change "athmet" to "atmet", etc. Note: in Kinkel's score, "Rüdesheim" is spelled "Rüdisheim".
Note: A now-lost source, perhaps intending to censor the nationalism of the last two lines, replaced them with "Auf die rheinische Legende/ Und die rheinische Lebenskraft." They may have appeared in a concert program of Kinkel's song, but they do not appear in the score.
1 Blied: "Mondenpracht"2 Blied: "Kron'"
3 Blied: "'ne"
4 Blied: "Traube"
Text Authorship:
- by Emanuel von Geibel (1815 - 1884), "Rheinsage", appears in Jugendgedichte, in 1. Erstes Buch, in Lübeck und Bonn [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 Jakob Blied (1844 - 1884), "Des Kaisers Segen", op. 27 no. 15, published 1877 [ four-part men's chorus ], from Liederkranz. Lieder-Cyclus für vierstimmigen Männerchor, no. 15, Leipzig, Merseburger [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Max Bruch (1838 - 1920), "Rheinsage", op. 38 (Fünf Lieder für gemischten Chor a capella) no. 4, published 1875 [ mixed chorus a cappella ], Berlin, Simrock [sung text not yet checked]
- by Onno Gorter , "Rheinsage" [ voice and piano ], Magdeburg, Heinrichshofer's Verlag [sung text not yet checked]
- by Johanna Kinkel (1810 - 1858), "Rheinsage", op. 8 (6 Gedichte von E. Geibel) no. 2, published 1838 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Trautwein ; as J. Mathieux [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Benedikt Randhartinger (1802 - 1893), "Rheinsage" [ TTBB chorus and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Gustav Rebling (1821 - 1902), "Rheinsage", op. 12 (Gesänge für Männerchöre), Heft 1 no. 2, published 1850 [ men's chorus ], Magdeburg, Heinrichshofen's Verlag [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Anja Bunzel) , "Rhine Legend", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Légende du Rhin", copyright © 2018, (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: 2007-10-04
Line count: 32
Word count: 146
The night is mild At the green river Rhine! The vineyards lie In the golden moon shine. And a tall shadow wanders Along the hills With a sword and red coat, And a golden heavy crown. That is Carl, the Emperor, Who used to rule the German lands with his powerful hands Hundreds of years ago. He left his grave In Aachen, He blesses his vine And he breathes the smell of grapes. At Rüdesheim, the moon shines Into the water. It build a golden bridge Across the green river Rhine. The Emperor crosses the river, He walks slowly, He blesses the vine along the river in each place. Then he returns to Aachen And sleeps in his grave, Until the smell of the grapes Wakes him up in the next year. But we fill the glasses And we drink the golden juice. Here’s to the German heroes, Here’s to German vitality.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2014 by Anja Bunzel, (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 Emanuel von Geibel (1815 - 1884), "Rheinsage", appears in Jugendgedichte, in 1. Erstes Buch, in Lübeck und Bonn
This text was added to the website: 2014-07-25
Line count: 32
Word count: 152