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Doch vor dem Apostel Thomas, der kam, da es zu spät war, trat der schnelle längst darauf gefaßte Engel her und befahl an der Begräbnisstelle: Dräng den Stein beiseite. Willst du wissen, wo die ist, die dir das Herz bewegt: Sieh: sie ward wie ein Lavendelkissen eine Weile da hineingelegt, daß die Erde künftig nach ihr rieche in den Falten wie ein feines Tuch. Alles Tote (fühlst du), alles Sieche ist betäubt von ihrem Wohl-Geruch. Schau den Leinwand: wo ist eine Bleiche, wo er blendend wird und geht nicht ein? Dieses Licht aus dieser reinen Leiche war ihm klärender als Sonnenschein. Staunst du nicht, wie sanft sie ihm entging? Fast als wär sie's noch, nichts ist verschoben. Doch die Himmel sind erschüttert oben: Mann, knie hin und sieh mir nach und sing.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926), no title, appears in Das Marien-Leben, in Vom Tode Mariae, no. 3, first published 1912 [author's text not yet checked 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 Paul Hindemith (1895 - 1963), "Vom Tode Mariä III", op. 27 no. 15 (1922-3), rev. 1948, from Das Marienleben, no. 15 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Siegfried Garibaldi Kallenberg (1867 - 1944), "Doch vor dem Apostel Thomas", 1929 [ alto, 2 violins, viola, violoncello and double bass ], from 6 Gesänge aus dem Marienleben von Rainer Maria Rilke, no. 6 [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Knut W. Barde) , "From the Death of Mary", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Stéphane Goldet) (Pierre de Rosamel) , "Sur la mort de Marie III", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Morte di Maria III", copyright © 2009, (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: 20
Word count: 132
However, sooner than the apostle Thomas, who Came after it was too late, the quick angel, who had long been prepared for this, stepped in and ordered at the burial place: Push the stone aside. If you want to know Where she is, who moves your heart: Look: just as a lavenderpillow She had been laid in there for a while, That in the future the earth would smell of her In its folds like a fine cloth. Everything dead (do you feel), everything sick Is stunned by her fragrance. Look at the linen: where is it white, Where becomes blinding and does not shrink? This light out of this pure corpse Was more clarifying to him than sunshine Aren't you amazed, how gently she escaped him? It is almost as if she were still here, nothing has moved. But the Heavens are shaking above: Man, kneel down and see me go and sing.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Knut W. Barde, (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 Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926), no title, appears in Das Marien-Leben, in Vom Tode Mariae, no. 3, first published 1912
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 155