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Wenn ich dereinst mein müdes Haupt Zur letzten Ruh' gelegt, Und wenn das sturmbewegte Herz Dereinstens nicht mehr schlägt; Und wenn ihr in der Erde Schooß [Versenket]1 mein Gebein: O, gebt mir noch als Abschiedsgruß Ein Lied ins Grab hinein! Wohl fand ich oft im Erdenthal Die Trauerweiden stehn, Und manchen Stern, an Hoffnung reich, Dem Traume gleich vergehn; Das Lied, [das]2 war mein Freundschaftstrahl In aller Erdenpein -- Drum gebt mir noch als Abschiedsgruß Ein Lied ins Grab hinein! Das Lied war meine höchste Lust Auf meinem [Erdengang]3, Drum senkt mich nicht so still hinab, Nicht ohne Sang und Klang! Ich sang ja oft begeist'rungsvoll Ein Lied in euern Reih'n -- Drum gebt mir noch als Abschiedsgruß Ein Lied ins Grab hinein!
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Wochenblatt für Asch und umgegend, IV. Jahrgang, Asch: Gustav Becker, 1867. Appears in issue no. 31, Sonnabend, den 3 August 1867, page 248; and confirmed with Blätter für literarische Unterhaltung, 1871. Issue no. 34, 17 August 1871. Appears in a critique of "Neue lyrische Gedichte" featuring fifteen new publications in the same review; the ninth is Aus meiner Liedermappe. Gedichte von Heinrich Pfeil, Leipzig, 1871: first edition, printed by the author himself. This review is on pages 537 - 542; the lyric "Sänger-Testament" appears on pages 538 - 539, explicitly stating that this poem is part of Pfeil's volume of "Gedichte."
1 Otto: "Vertrauet"2 Otto: "es"
3 Otto: "Lebensgang"
Text Authorship:
- by Heinrich Pfeil (1835 - 1899), "Sänger-Testament", appears in Aus meiner Liedermappe. Gedichte von Heinrich Pfeil [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 Franz Wilhelm Abt (1819 - 1885), "Sänger-Testament", op. 361 no. 6, Offenbach am Main: André [sung text not yet checked]
- by Karl Appel (1812 - 1895), "Sänger-Testament", op. 40, published 1874 [ vocal quartet for male voices ], Leipzig, Kahnt [sung text not yet checked]
- by Paul Gaebler (flourished 1885-1895), "Des Sängers Testament", op. 8, published 1895 [ baritone or bass and piano ], Leipzig, Jost [sung text not yet checked]
- by Robert Graner (1819 - 1886), "Sänger-Testament", op. 115 [ four-part men's chorus, unaccompanied ], Leipzig: Siegel [sung text not yet checked]
- by Gustav Hasse (1834 - 1889), "Sänger-Testament", op. 48 (Vier Lieder für Männerchor) no. 4 [ four-part men's chorus, unaccompanied ], Berlin: Annecke [sung text not yet checked]
- by Wilhelm C. Hollmann (d. 1879), "Sängers Testament", op. 19 [ voice and piano ], Bauer [sung text not yet checked]
- by Eduard Könner (1839 - 1891), "Wenn ich dereinst mein müdes Haupt", op. 25 no. 4 [ four-part men's chorus, unaccompanied ], Leipzig, C. F. W. Siegel [sung text not yet checked]
- by Heinrich Lichner (1829 - 1898), "Sänger-Testament", op. 157 (Vier Quartette für Männerstimmen) no. 2, published 1876 [ vocal quartet for male voices a cappella ], Leipzig, Siegel [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ludwig Liebe (1819 - 1900), "Sängers Testament", op. 67 no. 2 [ voice and piano ], Schäfer [sung text not yet checked]
- by Max Oesten (1843 - 1917), "Sängertestament", op. 153 (Zwei Lieder für tiefen Bassstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1886 [ low bass and piano ], Berlin, Schlesinger [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ernst Julius Otto (1804 - 1877), "Sänger-Testament" [ four-part men's chorus, unaccompanied ], Leipzig: Glaser ; confirmed with Hoch deutsches Lied! eine Auswahl vpm 300 Texten allgemein beliebter Männerchöre, Quedlinburg: Chr. Friedr. Vieweg's Buchhandlung, 1900. no. 256, page 151 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Eduard Tauwitz (1812 - 1894), "Wenn ich dereinst mein müdes Haupt", op. 94 no. 2 [ four-part men's chorus, unaccompanied ], Ries & Erler [sung text not yet checked]
- by (Friedrich) Wilhelm Tschirch (b. 1818), "Wenn ich dereinst mein müdes Haupt" [ men's chorus ] [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Michael P Rosewall) , copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Melanie Trumbull
This text was added to the website: 2018-07-14
Line count: 24
Word count: 121
One day, when I lay my weary head To its final rest, And when my storm-tossed heart One day no longer beats; And when my earthly remains Sink into earth’s womb: O give me yet, as a final farewell, A song in my grave! I often encountered, in this earthly vale, Stands of weeping willow trees, And many a star, full of hope, That faded away like dreams; Song – that was my gleam of friendship Through all of earth’s pain – So, give me yet, as a final farewell, A song in my grave! Song was my greatest pleasure On this earthly journey, So, do not lower me quietly, Not without singing and music! I often sang passionately A song in our ranks – So, give me yet, as a final farewell, A song in my grave!
About the headline (FAQ)
Translations of title(s):
"Des Sängers Testament" = "A Singer's Testament"
"Sängers Testament" = "Singer's Testament"
"Sänger-Testament" = "Singer's Testament"
"Wenn ich dereinst mein müdes Haupt" = "One day, when I lay my weary headOne day, when I lay my weary head To its final rest, And when my storm-tossed heart One day no longer beats; And when my earthly remains Sink into earth’s womb: O give me yet, as a final farewell, A song in my grave! I often encountered, in this earthly vale, Stands of weeping willow trees, And many a star, full of hope, That faded away like dreams; Song – that was my gleam of friendship Through all of earth’s pain – So, give me yet, as a final farewell, A song in my grave! Song was my greatest pleasure On this earthly journey, So, do not lower me quietly, Not without singing and music! I often sang passionately A song in our ranks – So, give me yet, as a final farewell, A song in my grave!"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2024 by Michael P Rosewall, (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 Pfeil (1835 - 1899), "Sänger-Testament", appears in Aus meiner Liedermappe. Gedichte von Heinrich Pfeil
This text was added to the website: 2024-03-01
Line count: 24
Word count: 138