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1. Chor „Todt! Todt! Todt! Todt, stöhnt es durch die öde Nacht. Felsen, weinet es wieder! Und ihr Wogen des Meeres, heulet es durch eure Tiefen: Joseph der grosse ist todt! Joseph, der Vater unsterblicher Thaten, ist todt! Ach todt! Todt! Todt!“ 2. Rezitativ „Ein Ungeheuer, sein Name Fanatismus, stieg aus den Tiefen der Hölle, dehnte sich zwischen Erd’ und Sonne, und es ward Nacht!“ 3. Arie „Da kam Joseph, mit Gottes Stärke riss das tobende Ungeheuer er weg, weg zwischen Erd’ und Himmel, und trat ihm auf’s Haupt.“ 4. Arie mit Chor „Die stiegen die Menschen an’s Licht, da drehte sich glücklicher die Erd’ um die Sonne, und die Sonne wärmte mit Strahlen der Gottheit.“ 5. Rezitativ „Er schläft, von den Sorgen seiner Welten entladen. Still ist die Nacht, nur ein schauderndes Lüftchen weht wie Grabes Hauch mir an die Wange. Wessen unsterbliche Seele du seist, Lüftchen, wehe leiser! Hier liegt Joseph im Grabe und schlummert im friedlichen Schlaf’ entgegen dem Tage der Vergeltung, wo du, glückliches Grab, ihn zu ewigen Kronen gebierst.“ 6. Arie „Hier schlummert seinen stillen Frieden der grosse Dulder, der hienieden kein Röschen ohne Wunde brach, der unter seinem vollen Herzen das Wohl der Menschheit unter Schmerzen bis an sein Lebensende trug.“ 7. Chor „Todt! Todt! Todt! Todt, stöhnt es durch die öde Nacht. Felsen, weinet es wieder! Und ihr Wogen des Meeres, heulet es durch eure Tiefen: Joseph der grosse ist todt! Joseph, der Vater unsterblicher Thaten, ist todt! Ach todt! Todt! Todt!“
Text Authorship:
- by Severin Anton Averdonk (1768 - 1817)
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827), "Cantate auf den Tod Kaiser Joseph des Zweiten", WoO 87 (1790) [ soli, chorus, orchestra ] [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Laura Prichard) , "Cantata on the Death of King Joseph the Second", copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Laura Prichard [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2023-09-21
Line count: 48
Word count: 249
1. Chorus Dead, dead, dead! Death, groan through the desolate night! Rocks join in the lament! and you, waves of the sea, howl from your depths: Joseph the Great is dead! Joseph, father of immortal deeds, is dead! alas, dead! 2. Recitative for Bass A monster, [whose] name is fanaticism, rose from the depths of Hell, stretched itself out between the earth and the sun, and there was night! 3. Aria for Bass Then came Joseph, with God’s strength, he ripped down the raging monster, tearing it from earth and heaven, and stepped on its head. 4. Aria for soprano with Chorus Then Humanity ascended into the light, then the earth could rotate happily around the sun, and the sun could warm it with divine rays! 5. Recitative for Soprano He sleeps free from his worldly responsibilities. Still is the night, only a shivering zephyr wafts, like a last gasp from the tomb, by my cheek. Whoever’s undying soul you may be, Zephy, flutter gently! Here lies Joseph in his grave and slumbers peacefully awaiting the Day of Judgment, when you, felicitous grave, bear him to eternal crowns. 6. Aria for Soprano Here slumbers in peace and quiet the great Patient One, who plucked no rosebud without a thorn, who with a full heart for the good of Humanity, suffered until his life’s end. 7. Chorus [repeated from movement I] Dead, dead, dead! Death, groan through the desolate night! Rocks join in the lament! And you, waves of the sea, howl from your depths: Joseph the Great is dead! Joseph, father of immortal deeds, is dead! Alas, dead!
Translator's notes:
Part 2, line 4: Es ward” is an archaic form of “Es wurde” meaning it “it was” or “it became.” This evokes the language of the Bible: "Und Gott sprach: Es werde Licht! und es ward Licht.” Genesis 1:3, often translated, “And God spoke: Let there be light! And there was light.”
Part 3: This image is meant to recall the myth of St. George slaying a dragon.
Part 6, line 2: This name evokes both one who suffers and one who is patient or endures.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2023 by Laura Prichard, (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 Severin Anton Averdonk (1768 - 1817)
This text was added to the website: 2023-10-05
Line count: 48
Word count: 248