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O Winterwaldnacht, stumm und hehr, Mit deinen eisumglänzten Zweigen, Lautlos und pfadlos, schneelastschwer -- Wie ist das groß -- dein stolzes Schweigen! Es blinkt der Vollmond klar und kalt, In tausend funkelharten Ketten Sind festgeschmiedet Berg und Wald, Nichts kann von diesem Bann erretten. Der Vogel fällt, das Wild bricht ein, Der Quell erstarrt, die Fichten beben; So ringt den großen Kampf ums Sein Ein tausendfaches banges Leben. Doch in den Dörfern, traut und sacht, Da läuten heut zur Welt hienieden Die Weihnachtsglocken durch die Nacht Ihr Wunderlied -- vom ew'gen Frieden.
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with Karl Stieler, Neue Hochlandslieder, herausgegeben von Karl Quenzel, Leipzig: Hesse & Becker Verlag, [1917], page 48.
Text Authorship:
- by Karl Stieler (1842 - 1885), "In der Christnacht", subtitle: "(Dezember.)", appears in Neue Hochlands-Lieder, in 7. Jahreszeiten, no. 12 [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 Wilhelm Reinhard Berger (1861 - 1911), "In der Christnacht", op. 73 (Sechs Lieder für 1 tiefe Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 2, published 1898 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Bote & Bock [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hans Michael Schletterer (1824 - 1893), "December. In der Christnacht", op. 51 no. 12, published 1882 [ ssa chorus ], from Die Monate. 12 dreistimmige Chorgesänge für 2 Sopran und Alt ohne Begleitung. Zum Gebrauch in höheren Schulen und Gesangvereinen, no. 12, Leipzig, Kistner [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Max Stange (1856 - 1932), "In der Weihnacht", op. 82 (Sechs Lieder und Gesänge für 1 mittlere Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 6, published 1901 [ medium voice and piano ], Berlin, Raabe & Plothow Verlag [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , subtitle: "(December.)", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2018-10-11
Line count: 16
Word count: 89
Oh winter forest night, mute and lofty, With your branches encrusted in radiant ice, With no sound and no paths, laden with snow -- How great it is -- your proud silence! The full moon gleams, clear and cold. Mountains and forests are firmly fettered In a thousand sparkling hard chains; Nothing can deliver them from this enchantment. The bird falls, the wild beasts fall through [the ice], The water-spring freezes, the firs tremble; Thus, in the great battle for existence Wrestles a thousand-fold anxious life. But in the villages, familiar and gentle, There today to the world below The Christmas bells sound through the night Their wondrous song -- of eternal peace.
Subtitle: "(December.)"
About the headline (FAQ)
Translations of title(s):
"December. In der Christnacht" = "December. On Christmas Eve"
"In der Christnacht" = "On Christmas Eve"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2019 by Sharon Krebs, (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 Karl Stieler (1842 - 1885), "In der Christnacht", subtitle: "(Dezember.)", appears in Neue Hochlands-Lieder, in 7. Jahreszeiten, no. 12
This text was added to the website: 2019-01-03
Line count: 16
Word count: 110