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Wellen blinkten durch die Nacht, Blaß der Mond am Himmel stand, Mägdlein saß an Ufers Strand, Hielt bei [ihren]1 Leinen Wacht, Sang in wilden Melodei'n In die weite Nacht hinein: Bleiche, bleiche weißes Lein, In des stillen Mondes Hut, Bist du bleich, [dann]2 bist du gut, Bist du bleich, [dann]2 bist du rein. -- Bleiche, bleiche, weißes Lein! Bleich muß alles Ende sein! Sonne gibt zu lichten Schein, Lässt dem Herzen keine Rast; Ist der Tag nur erst erblaßt, Wird das Herz auch ruhig sein. -- Bleiche, bleiche, weißes Lein! Bleich muß alles Ende sein! War ein töricht Mägdelein, Rot und frisch mein Angesicht; Rote Wangen taugen nicht, Locken Unglück nur herein. -- Bleiche, bleiche, weißes Lein, Bleich muß alles Ende sein! Bleichet denn, ihr Wangen mein! Bleiche meiner Augen Schein! [Bleiche, bleiche, weißes Lein! Sollst umhüllen mein Gebein! -- Bleich muß alles Ende sein! Bist du bleich, dann bist du rein!]3
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Deutscher Musenalamanach auf das Jahr 1834, page 268 and in the 1849 collection Deutschland's Balladen- und Romanzen-Dichter von G. A. Bürger bis auf die neueste Zeit, Karlsruhe : Verlag von Wilhelm Kreuzbauer. This is the first version of the poem.
1 Spohr: "ihrem"2 Baroni-Cavalcabó: "so"
3 Spohr:
Bleich muss alles Ende sein, Bist du bleich, so bist du rein. Bleiche, bleiche, weisses Lein, Sollst umhüllen mein Gebein!
Text Authorship:
- by Robert Reinick (1805 - 1852), "Der Bleicherin Nachtlied", appears in Lieder, in Romanzen und Balladen [formerly Bilder], first published 1844 [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 Julie Baroni-Cavalcabò (1813 - 1887), "Der Bleicherin Nachtlied", op. 10 no. 1, from Drei deutsche Lieder, no. 1 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Joseph Dessauer (1798 - 1876), "Der Bleicherin Nachtlied", op. 65 (Sechs Lieder) no. 2, published 1862 [ mezzo-soprano and piano ], Wien, Spina [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ernest Fritsch , "Der Bleicherin Nachtlied", op. 7 (Drei Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 2, published 1895 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Bote & Bock [sung text not yet checked]
- by Joseph (Gabriel) Rheinberger (1839 - 1901), "Wellen blinkten durch die Nacht", op. 80 no. 4 (1874) [ SATB chorus ], from Liebesgarten. 5 Gesänge für Sopran, Alt, Tenor und Bass, no. 4, Leipzig, Forberg [sung text not yet checked]
- by Louis [Ludwig] Spohr (1784 - 1859), "Der Bleicherin Nachtlied", op. 94 (Sechs deutsche Lieder) no. 3 (1835-6) [sung text checked 1 time]
Set in a modified version by Wilhelm Reinhard Berger, Bernhard Hopffer, Robert Schumann, Paul Trauttenfels.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Night Song of the Bleaching Girl", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Joanna Lonergan
This text was added to the website: 2005-07-04
Line count: 30
Word count: 153
Waves glittered through the night, Pale stood the moon in the sky, The maiden sat on the bank [of the river] Watching over her linens. In quiet melodies, she sang Out into the wide night: Bleach, bleach, white linen, In the care of the quiet moon! If you are bleached, then you are good, If you are bleached, then you are clean. Bleach, bleach, white linen, Pale all endings must be. The sun's light is too bright, It leaves my heart no rest; When daylight has finally faded away, My heart, too, shall be quietened. Bleach, bleach, white linen, Pale all endings must be. I was a foolish maiden, Rosy and fresh was my face; Red cheeks are not a good thing, They only bring misfortune upon you. Bleach, bleach, white linen, Pale all endings must be. Become pale then, you cheeks of mine! Become pale, light of my eyes! Bleach, bleach, white linen, You shall enfold my bones, Pale all endings must be. If you are pale, then you are clean.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2010 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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Robert Reinick (1805 - 1852), "Der Bleicherin Nachtlied", appears in Lieder, in Romanzen und Balladen [formerly Bilder], first published 1844
This text was added to the website: 2010-04-12
Line count: 30
Word count: 172