Es fiedeln die Geigen, 
Da tritt in den Reigen 
Ein seltsamer Gast; 
Kennt keiner den Dürren, 
Galant aus dem Schwirren 
Die Braut er sich faßt. 

Hebt an, sich zu schwenken 
In allen Gelenken. 
[Das]1 Fräulein im Kranz:
«Euch knacken die Beine -- »
«Bald rasseln auch deine, 
Frisch auf spielt zum Tanz!»

Die Spröde hinterm Fächer, 
Der Zecher vom Becher, 
Der Dichter so lind. 
Muß auch mit zum Tanze, 
Daß die Lorbeern vom Kranze 
Fliegen im Wind.

So schnurret der Reigen 
Zum Saal 'raus ins Schweigen 
Der prächtigen Nacht; 
Die Klänge verwehen, 
Die Hähne schon krähen, 
Da verstieben sie sacht. --

So [gings schon]2 [vor Zeiten]3 
[Und]4 geht es noch heute, 
Und [hörest]5 du hell 
Aufspielen zum Reigen, 
Wer weiß, wem sie geigen, --
[Hüt]6 dich, Gesell !

About the headline (FAQ)

View original text (without footnotes)
¹ Schreiter: "Spricht's"
² Herzogenberg: "ging es"
³ Schreiter, Wetzel: "vorzeiten"
⁴ Schreiter: "So"
⁵ Wetzel: "hörst"
⁶ Herzogenberg: "Hüte"

Text Authorship:

• by Joseph Karl Benedikt, Freiherr von Eichendorff (1788 - 1857), "Der Kehraus", appears in Gedichte, in 7. Romanzen [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 Carl Georg Peter Grädener (1812 - 1883), "Kehraus", op. 45 (Sechs Lieder für Sopran und Alt mit Pianoforte) no. 3, published 1876 [ vocal duet for soprano and alto with piano ], Hamburg, Schuberth [sung text not yet checked]
• by (Leopold) Heinrich (Picot de Peccaduc), Freiherr von Herzogenberg (1843 - 1900), "Der Kehraus ", op. 10 (Lieder für gemischten Chor) no. 5, published 1870 [ mixed chorus a cappella ] [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Arnold Mendelssohn (1855 - 1933), "Der Kehraus", published 1900 [ voice and piano ], from Lieder und Gesänge, no. 16, Berlin, Ries & Erler [sung text not yet checked]
• by Winfried Schreiter (b. 1930), "Der Kehraus", 2005 [ voice, viola, and piano ], from Zwei Lieder für eine Singstimme, Viola und Klavier, no. 2 [sung text checked 1 time]
• by (Percy) Gerd Watkinson (b. 1918), "Der Kehraus" [ SATB chorus ], from Musik bewegt mich, no. 10 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Justus Hermann Wetzel (1879 - 1973), "Der Kehraus" [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Hermann Karl Josef Zilcher (1881 - 1948), "Der Kehraus", op. 60 no. 10, published 1927 [ voice and piano ], from Eichendorff-Zyklus, no. 10 [sung text not yet checked]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

• ENG English (John H. Campbell) , "Dance of Death", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Dernière danse", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: John H. Campbell , Andrew Schneider [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 30
Word count: 125

The fiddles are playing;
into the round dance there steps
a strange guest.
No one knows this gaunt one,
gallantly from the crowd
he grasps the bride herself.

He lifts her swinging around
the dance floor.
The young woman remarks:
"Your legs are rattling ...
And your joints are creaking,
as we move to the dance!"

The shy one behind her fan,
the reveler in his cups,
the poet so gentle.
Must likewise join in the dance,
as laurel leaves from the wreath
fly off in the wind.

So the round dance whirls on
through the hall out into the silence
of the splendid night;
the sounds fade away,
the cock already crows,
as all whirls away in a cloud of dust.

So, as it has always been
and as it still is today,
when you hear the bright
sounds of the round dance,
who knows, for whom it plays,
be on guard, friend!