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Herr Olaf, es ist Mitternacht, Dein Leben ist verflossen! Du hattest eines Fürstenkinds In freier Lust genossen. Die Mönche murmeln das Totengebet, Der Mann im roten Rocke Er steht mit seinem blanken Beil Schon vor dem schwarzen Blocke. Herr Olaf steigt in den Hof hinab, Da blinken viel Schwerter und Lichter. Es lächelt des Ritters roter Mund, Mit lächelndem Munde spricht er: "Ich segne die Sonne, ich segne den Mond, Und die Stern, die am Himmel schweifen. Ich segne auch die Vögelein, Die in den Lüften pfeifen. Ich segne das Meer, ich segne das Land, Und die Blumen auf der Aue. Ich segne die Veilchen, sie sind so sanft Wie die Augen meiner Fraue. Ihr Veilchenaugen meiner Frau, Durch Euch verlier ich mein Leben! Ich segne auch den Holunderbaum, Wo du dich mir ergeben."
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with Heinrich Heine, Neue Gedichte, Hoffmann und Campe, 1844, page 186
Text Authorship:
- by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), no title, appears in Neue Gedichte, in Romanzen, in 10. Ritter Olaf, no. 3 [author's text checked 2 times 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 Sigizmund Mikhailovich Blumenfel'd (1852 - 1920), "Herr Olaf, es ist Mitternacht", op. 9 no. 3, published 1896 [ baritone and piano ], from Ritter Olaf, no. 3, Leipzig, Belaieff [sung text not yet checked]
- by Charles Braun (1868 - ?), "Herr Olaf, es ist Mitternacht", op. 2 no. 3, published 188-? [ tenor, bass, chorus, and orchestra ], from Ritter Olaf, no. 3, also set in English [sung text not yet checked]
- by Felix (August Bernhard) Draeseke (1835 - 1913), "Herr Olaf, es ist Mitternacht", op. 19 no. 3, published 1882 [ baritone or mezzo-soprano and piano ], from Ritter Olaf, no. 3, Dresden, Hoffarth [sung text not yet checked]
- by Don Forsythe (1932 - 2015), "Ritter Olaf III", 2008, published c2008 [ high voice and piano ], from Romanzen, no. 10c [sung text not yet checked]
- by Carl Nicola (1797 - 1875), "Herr Olaf, es ist Mitternacht", op. 17 (Ritter Olaf : Ballade von Heine) no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
- by August Ferdinand Riccius (1819 - 1886), "Abschied vom Leben", op. 4 (Ritter Olaf = Herr Olaf : Ballade in drei Abteilungen von H. Heine) no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Eugen Schmitz (1882 - 1959), "Herr Olaf, es ist Mitternacht", op. 4 (Herr Olaf : Ballade ) no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in English, a translation by Edward Breck (1861 - 1929) and by Francis Prange ; composed by Charles Braun.
- 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):
- ENG English (Alma Strettell) , "Lord Olaf III", appears in Poems Selected from Heinrich Heine, ed. by Kate Freiligrath Kroeker, London: Walter Scott, Limited, pages 217-218, first published 1887
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Pierre Mathé [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2007-05-10
Line count: 24
Word count: 134
Chevalier Olaf, il est minuit, Ta vie est écoulée ! De l'enfant d'un prince Tu as joui librement. Les moines marmonnent la prière des morts, L'homme en habit rouge, Avec sa brillante hache, Est déjà devant le noir billot. Le chevalier Olaf monte dans la cour, Où à la lumière brillent les épées. Les lèvres rouges du chevalier sourient, De sa bouche souriante, il dit: « Je bénis le soleil, je bénis la lune Et les étoiles qui errent dans le ciel, Je bénis aussi les petits oiseaux Qui pépient dans les airs. Je bénis la mer, je bénis la terre Et les fleurs des champs Je bénis les violettes, si délicates, Pareilles aux yeux de ma femme. Yeux de ma femme, C'est par Vous que je perds la vie ! Je bénis aussi le sureau Sous lequel tu t'es donnée à moi. »
About the headline (FAQ)
Translations of title(s):
"Abschied vom Leben" = "Adieu à la vie"
"Ritter Olaf III" = "Le chevalier Olaf III"
"Herr Olaf, es ist Mitternacht" = "Chevalier Olaf, il est minuit"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to French (Français) copyright © 2017 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.
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), no title, appears in Neue Gedichte, in Romanzen, in 10. Ritter Olaf, no. 3
This text was added to the website: 2017-01-11
Line count: 24
Word count: 142