Songs

Galgenlied

by Arnold Schoenberg From Pierrot Lunaire (1912) Op. 21

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Text & Translation

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Galgenlied
German source: Otto Erich Hartleben

Die dürre Dirne
Mit langem Halse
Wird seine letzte
Geliebte sein.
In seinem Hirne
Steckt wie ein Nagel
Die dürre Dirne
Mit langem Halse.
Schlank wie die Pinie,
Am Hals ein Zöpfchen -
Wollüstig wird sie
Den Schelm umhalsen,
Die dürre Dirne!

Gallows song (1996)
English translation © Roger Marsh

The skinny strumpet,
With neck extended,
Will be the last
To make love to him!
Into his brain
She sticks like a needle;
The skinny strumpet
With neck extended.
Thin as a rake
With a pigtail round her;
Wantonly will she
Embrace the scoundrel
– the skinny strumpet!

Galgenlied
German source: Otto Erich Hartleben

Gallows song (1996)
English source: Roger Marsh

Die dürre Dirne
The skinny strumpet,
Mit langem Halse
With neck extended,
Wird seine letzte
Will be the last
Geliebte sein.
To make love to him!
In seinem Hirne
Into his brain
Steckt wie ein Nagel
She sticks like a needle;
Die dürre Dirne
The skinny strumpet
Mit langem Halse.
With neck extended.
Schlank wie die Pinie,
Thin as a rake
Am Hals ein Zöpfchen -
With a pigtail round her;
Wollüstig wird sie
Wantonly will she
Den Schelm umhalsen,
Embrace the scoundrel
Die dürre Dirne!
– the skinny strumpet!

Composer

Arnold Schoenberg

Arnold Franz Walter Schoenberg or Schönberg was an Austrian composer, music theorist, and painter. He was associated with the expressionist movement in German poetry and art, and leader of the Second Viennese School.

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