Text & Translation
Die Vätergruft
German source:
Johann Ludwig Uhland
Zur alten Kapell’ empor
Ein Greis in Waffengeschmeide
Und trat in den dunkeln Chor.
Die Särge seiner Ahnen
Standen die Hall’ entlang,
Aus der Tiefe tät ihn mahnen
Ein wunderbarer Gesang.
„Wohl hab ich euer Grüssen,
Ihr Heldengeister, gehört,
Eure Reihe soll ich schliessen.
Heil mir! Ich bin es wert!“
Es stand an kühler Stätte
Ein Sarg noch ungefüllt;
Den nahm er zum Ruhebette,
Zum Pfühle nahm er den Schild.
Die Hände tät er falten
Auf’s Schwert und schlummerte ein;
Die Geisterlaute verhallten,
Da mocht es gar stille sein.
The Father's Crypt
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
To the ancient chapel
An old man clad in armour strode
And entered the dark chancel.
The coffins of his ancestors
Lay along the walls,
A song of exhortation rose
Wondrously from the depths.
‘I have heard your greeting,
O heroic shades,
I have come to complete your ranks.
Accept me! I am worthy!’
In a cool place there stood
A coffin as yet unfilled;
He took it as his resting-place,
With his shield as a pillow.
He clasped his hands
About his sword and fell asleep;
The ghostly music died away,
And utter silence reigned.
Die Vätergruft
German source:
Johann Ludwig Uhland
The Father's Crypt
English source:
Richard Stokes
Es schritt wohl über die Heide
Up across the moor
Zur alten Kapell’ empor
To the ancient chapel
Ein Greis in Waffengeschmeide
An old man clad in armour strode
Und trat in den dunkeln Chor.
And entered the dark chancel.
Die Särge seiner Ahnen
The coffins of his ancestors
Standen die Hall’ entlang,
Lay along the walls,
Aus der Tiefe tät ihn mahnen
A song of exhortation rose
Ein wunderbarer Gesang.
Wondrously from the depths.
„Wohl hab ich euer Grüssen,
‘I have heard your greeting,
Ihr Heldengeister, gehört,
O heroic shades,
Eure Reihe soll ich schliessen.
I have come to complete your ranks.
Heil mir! Ich bin es wert!“
Accept me! I am worthy!’
Es stand an kühler Stätte
In a cool place there stood
Ein Sarg noch ungefüllt;
A coffin as yet unfilled;
Den nahm er zum Ruhebette,
He took it as his resting-place,
Zum Pfühle nahm er den Schild.
With his shield as a pillow.
Die Hände tät er falten
He clasped his hands
Auf’s Schwert und schlummerte ein;
About his sword and fell asleep;
Die Geisterlaute verhallten,
The ghostly music died away,
Da mocht es gar stille sein.
And utter silence reigned.
Composer
Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt (22 October 1811 – 31 July 1886) was a Hungarian composer, virtuoso pianist, conductor, music teacher, arranger and organist of the Romantic era. He was also a writer, a philanthropist, a Hungarian nationalist and a Franciscan…
Poet
Johann Ludwig Uhland
Johann Ludwig Uhland, was a German poet, philologist and literary historian. He was born in Tübingen, Württemberg, and studied jurisprudence at the university there, but also took an interest in medieval literature, especially old German and French…