Wir senkten die Wurzeln in Moos und Gestein, Wir wiegten die Schultern im rosigen Schein, Wir tranken die Sonne, den Thau und das Licht, Wir prangten in Schönheit und wußten es nicht. Der Lenz strich vorüber und küßte uns leis, Der Tag ward so still und die Nächte so heiß, Der Wind sprach von Liebe manch flüsterndes Wort, Ein Schritt kam gegangen . . ein Arm trug uns fort.-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Wer hält unser Leben in zitternder Hand? Es duftet und rieselt ein weißes Gewand . . . Wir sehn eine Brust, die die Sehnsucht erregt, Wir hören ein Herz, das in Leidenschaft schlägt. Von Liebe gebrochen, zu Liebe gebracht -- Wir grüßen dich, Schwester, in schweigender Nacht. Der Tag, der zu holderem Blühen dich ruft, Er senkt unsre Schönheit verwelkt in die Gruft.
Confirmed with Anna Ritter, Befreiung. Neue Gedichte, Fünfte Auflage, Stuttgart: J.G. Cotta'sche Buchhandlung Nachfolger, 1900, pages 140-141.
Authorship:
- by Anna (Nuhn) Ritter (1865 - 1921), "Rosenlied", appears in Befreiung. Neue Gedichte, in 5. Natur, no. 20 [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 Paul Caro (1859 - 1914), "Rosenlied", op. 36 (Lieder für eine höhere Singstimme mit Begleitung des Pianoforte) no. 4, published 1910 [ high voice and piano ], Wien & Leipzig: Adolf Robitscheck [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Jean Sibelius (1865 - 1957), "Rosenlied", op. 50 (Sechs Gesänge (Six Songs)) no. 6 (1906) [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Ludwig Wilhelm Andreas Maria Thuille (1861 - 1907), "Rosenlied", op. 29, published 1903 [ three-part women's chorus and piano ], Leipzig, F.E.C. Leuckart; also set in English, also set in English [sung text checked 1 time]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in English, a translation by Mabel Wheeler Daniels (1878 - 1971) ; composed by Ludwig Wilhelm Andreas Maria Thuille.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Song of the roses", copyright © 2020
- FIN Finnish (Suomi) (Erkki Pullinen) , "Ruusujen laulu", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Chant des roses", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 17
Word count: 131
We buried our roots in the moss and in stone, In radiance rosy our tender buds shone, We drank of the sunshine, the dew and the light, We revelled in beauty and knew not its might. The spring glided by with a delicate kiss, Our calm days were ended by warm nights of bliss, The wind whispered ever of love as he passed, A footstep approached us, an arm seized us fast. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Whose hand holds our life as in light, trembling scales? A rippling white garment sweet fragrance exhales, We see a fair breast, which deep longing has stirred, The passionate throbs of a young heart are heard. Through love were we broken, to love we are brought, We greet you, oh sister, in Night's silent court. The day, which shall call you to more perfect bloom, Will sink our frail beauty destroyed in the tomb.
Note: The above text came from the Thuille score. There were two errors in the English that have been corrected above: the first word was changed from "Whe" to "We", and in stanza 3, line 3 the word "loning" was changed to "longing."
Authorship:
- by Mabel Wheeler Daniels (1878 - 1971)
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Anna (Nuhn) Ritter (1865 - 1921), "Rosenlied", appears in Befreiung. Neue Gedichte, in 5. Natur, no. 20
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Ludwig Wilhelm Andreas Maria Thuille (1861 - 1907), "Song of the Roses", op. 29, published 1903 [ three-part women's chorus and piano ], Leipzig, F.E.C. Leuckart, also set in German (Deutsch) [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2024-01-11
Line count: 17
Word count: 146