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by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
Translation © by Emily Ezust
Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht
Language: German (Deutsch)
Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht, Das Leben ist der schwüle Tag. Es dunkelt schon, mich schläfert, Der Tag hat mich müd gemacht. Über mein Bett erhebt sich ein Baum, Drin singt die junge Nachtigall; Sie singt von lauter Liebe - Ich hör es sogar im Traum.
Available sung texts: (what is this?)
• F. Allitsen • G. Bachlund • J. Brahms • D. Fischer • E. Melartin • M. Reger • H. WillanAbout the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), appears in Buch der Lieder, in Die Heimkehr, no. 87, first published 1826/7 [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 Károly Aggházy (1855 - 1918), "Der Tod", op. 30 (Sechs Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 6, published 1898 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Kiesler [sung text not yet checked]
- by Frances Allitsen (1848 - 1912), "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", published 1892 [ voice and piano ], from Album of Eight Songs [later reissued as Eight Songs from Poems by Heine], no. 7, London, R. Cocks, also set in English [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Albert Felix, Graf Amadei (1851 - 1894), "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", op. 8 (Fünf Gesänge für 1 tiefere Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 3, published 1886 [ low voice and piano ], Leipzig, Senff [sung text not yet checked]
- by (George Efraim) Fritz Arlberg (1830 - 1896), "Schwanengesang", op. 2 (Zwei Lieder vom Tode) no. 1 [ mezzo-soprano or low tenor and orchestra ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Gary Bachlund (b. 1947), "Der Tod", 2012 [ medium voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Victor Emanuel Bendix (1851 - 1926), "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", op. 18 (Zehn Lieder) no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Walter Michael Berten (1902 - 1956), "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", op. 4 (Zweite Liedfolge) no. 4 [ high voice and chamber orchestra or piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Leo Blech (1871 - 1958), "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht" [sung text not yet checked]
- by (Johann Hermann) Heinrich Böie (1825 - 1879), "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", op. 23 (Drei Lieder für Alt (oder Bariton)) no. 2, published 1871 [ alto or baritone and piano ], Hamburg, Pohle [sung text not yet checked]
- by Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897), "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", op. 96 (Vier Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 1 (1884), published 1886 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Simrock [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Stephanie Brand-Vrabely, Gräfin Wurmbrand (1849 - 1919), "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", op. 28 (Vier Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Klavier) no. 4, published 1884 [ voice and piano ], Wien: Wetzler [sung text not yet checked]
- by Th. Bredsdorff , "Der Tod und die Nachtigall" [sung text not yet checked]
- by Otto Breve , "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", op. 10 (Lieder) no. 6 [sung text not yet checked]
- by (Friedrich) August Bungert (1845 - 1915), "Schwanengesang", op. 32 no. 6 (1889-91), published 1891 [ low voice and piano ], from Verlorne Liebe, verlornes Leben, no. 6, Berlin, Fr. Luckhardt [sung text not yet checked]
- by Robert Caby (1905 - 1992), "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", published 1991, from In mein gar zu dunkles Leben (Au sein de ma sombre vie: cinq lieder de Henri Heine), no. 5 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Peter Cornelius (1824 - 1874), "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", op. 11 (Drei Chorgesänge) no. 1 (1871), published 1871 [ chorus a cappella ], Leipzig, Fritzsch [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hermann Drechsler (1861 - 1935), "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", op. 16 (Drei Lieder) no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Edward Baxter Felton , "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", published 1900, from Three Songs, no. 2, also set in English [sung text not yet checked]
- by Dorothee Fischer (1894 - 1981), "Der Tod, das ist der kühle Nacht" [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Gustav Adolf Fischer , "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", op. 1 no. 3, published 1859 [ alto and piano ], from Vom Walde her. Fünf Lieder für Alt-Stimme mit Pianoforte, no. 3, Frankfurt a/O., Kressner [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ernst Frank (1847 - 1889), "Lebensabend", op. 1 (Zehn Lieder) no. 7, published 1871 [ voice and piano ], Wien, Gotthard [sung text not yet checked]
- by Leo (Lew) Franz (b. 1895), "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", published 1884 [ baritone and piano ], from Drei Lieder für Bariton mit Pianoforte, no. 2, Leipzig, Kahnt [sung text not yet checked]
- by Paul Geisler (1856 - 1919), "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", op. 1 no. 5, published 1876 [ voice and piano ], from Gesänge für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung. 1. Folge. Zwölf Dichtungen von Heine und Rückert, no. 5, Berlin, Bote & Bock [sung text not yet checked]
- by J. von Harder , "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", op. 4 [ alto or baritone with piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ch. de Harrack , "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", op. 10 no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Gustav Hasse (1834 - 1889), "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", op. 32 (Sechs Gesänge für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1880 [ mezzo-soprano or baritone and piano ], Berlin, Bote & Bock [sung text not yet checked]
- by Robert Hermann (1869 - 1912), "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", op. 5 (Sechs kleine Lieder für 1 mittlere Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 4, published 1895 [ medium voice and piano ], Leipzig, Junne [sung text not yet checked]
- by Caspar René Hirschfeld (b. 1965), "Tag und Nacht", op. 68 (Deutsche Lieder : Buch II für Gesang und Klavier) no. 5, published c2003 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Paul Hoppe (1869 - 1933), "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", op. 9 (Fünf Gesänge für vierstimmigen Männerchor) no. 5, published 1891 [ four-part men's chorus ], Langensalza, Beyer & Söhne [sung text not yet checked]
- by Wilhelm Killmayer (1927 - 2017), "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht ", 1994-5, published c1998 [ tenor and piano ], from Ein Liederbuch nach Gedichten von Heinrich Heine, Abteilung I, no. 6 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Arno Kleffel (1840 - 1913), "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", op. 20 (Zwölf Lieder), Heft 2 no. 12, published 1876 [ voice and piano ], Dresden, Hoffarth [sung text not yet checked]
- by Otto Klemperer (1885 - 1973), "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht" [sung text not yet checked]
- by Armin Knab (1881 - 1951), "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", published 1923, rev. 1961 [ voice and lute or piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Max Kowalski (1882 - 1956), "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", 1937, from Fünf Heine-Lieder, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
- by M. J. Kremer , "In der Nacht" [ voice and piano ], from Ausgewählte Lieder, no. 12, self-published, no date ; note: each song has a title page showing "M. J. Kremer" as the composer, but at the top of each song, it says "J. N. Kremer" [sung text not yet checked]
- by Samuel de Lange (1840 - 1911), "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", op. 26 (Sechs Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 3, published 1878 [ voice and piano ], Bonn, Cohen [sung text not yet checked]
- by Rued Langgaard (1893 - 1952), "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", BVN. 101 no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Eduard Lassen (1830 - 1904), "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", op. 94 (Sechs Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 4, published 1895 [ voice and piano ], Paris, Hamelle [sung text not yet checked]
- by F. Lemmer , "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht" [sung text not yet checked]
- by Henk Luymes , "Der Tod", 1977 [ mezzo-soprano and piano ], from 3 Heine-Lieder, no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Erkki Gustaf Melartin (1875 - 1937), "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", op. 42 (7 Lieder mit Klavier) no. 5, published 1907 [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Erik Meyer-Helmund (1861 - 1932), "Todesahnung", op. 161, published 1898 [ low voice and piano ], Leipzig, Zimmermann [sung text not yet checked]
- by Max Reger (1873 - 1916), "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", 1899, published 1921 [ voice and piano ], from Zwei Lieder, no. 1 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Adolf Reichel (1820 - 1896), "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", op. 23 (Fünf Lieder für vierstimmigen gemischten Chor) no. 3, published 1883 [ chorus a cappella ], Leipzig, Leuckart [sung text not yet checked]
- by Chr. Ricard , "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht" [sung text not yet checked]
- by Louis Sauguer (1907 - 1991), "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", published c1923-7 [ low voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Apolinary Scheluta (1884 - 1966), "Der Tod", op. 12 (Buch der Lieder : von Heinrich Heine) no. 5 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Johannes Schild (b. 1960), "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", 1989, from Drei Gesänge nach Texten von Heinrich Heine, no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Carl Julius Schmidt (1851 - 1917), "Am Abend", op. 3 no. 3, published 1879 [ alto and piano ], from Drei Nachtstücke für Alt mit Pianofortebegleitung, no. 3, Leipzig, Breitkopf & Härtel [sung text not yet checked]
- by Nikolay Vladimirovich Shcherbachyov (1853 - 1922), "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", published 1882 [ voice and piano ], from Sechs Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung, no. 2, Hamburg, Rahter [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hedwig Sonntag , "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", from Zwei Lieder von H. Heine, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Fritz Steinbach (1855 - 1916), "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", op. 8 ([Drei] Lieder und Gesänge für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 1, published 1890 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Schlesinger [sung text not yet checked]
- by Nisse Strandberg , "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", published 1900 [ voice and piano ], from 5 Sanger, no. 4, Stockholm, Lundquist [sung text not yet checked]
- by Friedrich Hieronymus Truhn (1811 - 1886), "Nachts", op. 17 (Lieder der Nacht) no. 6 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Carl Turban , "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht" [sung text not yet checked]
- by Johann Vesque von Püttlingen (1803 - 1883), "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", published 1851, from Die Heimkehr : 88 Gedichte aus H. Heine's Reisebildern, no. 87 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Konstantin Petrovich Vil'boa (1817 - 1882), "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", also set in Russian (Русский) [sung text not yet checked]
- by Karl Weigl (1881 - 1949), "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", 1904, published 1909?, from 5 Lieder v. Heinr. Heine, no. 4 [sung text not yet checked]
- by (James) Healey Willan (1880 - 1968), "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", published 1908 [ voice and piano ], from Three Songs, no. 3, also set in English [sung text checked 1 time]
The text above (or a part of it) is used in the following settings:
- by Siegfried Matthus (1934 - 2021), "Der Tod", published 1987 [ baritone, string quartet, and harp ], from Nachtlieder, no. 7
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in English, a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Paul Ambrose.
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Also set in English, a translation by A. Davenport ; composed by Edward Baxter Felton.
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Also set in English, a translation by Henry Grafton Chapman (1860 - 1913) ; composed by Theodore Paxson.
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Also set in English, a translation by Louise Bogan (1897 - 1970) ; composed by David Rakowski.
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Also set in English, a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Nancy Hayes Van de Vate.
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Also set in English, adapted by J. Snodgrass , "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht", appears in Poems Selected from Heinrich Heine, ed. by Kate Freiligrath Kroeker, London: Walter Scott, Limited, pages 122-123, first published 1887 ; composed by Healey Willan.
- Also set in English, a translation by Theodore Martin, Sir, KCB KCVO (1816 - 1909) , "Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht" ; composed by Frances Allitsen.
- Also set in French (Français), a translation by Maurice Dufresne (d. 1953) ; composed by Tibor Harsányi.
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Also set in Russian (Русский), a translation by Mikhail Larionovich Mikhailov (1829 - 1865) , no title ; composed by Konstantin Petrovich Vil'boa.
- Also set in Russian (Русский), a translation by Konstantin Dmitrevich Bal'mont (1867 - 1942) , no title ; composed by G. A. Goldenberg.
- Also set in Russian (Русский), a translation by Vasili Ivanovich Krasov (1810 - 1854) , "Из Гейне" ; composed by Arseny Nikolayevich Koreshchenko.
- Also set in Russian (Русский), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Vladimir Alekseyevich Senilov.
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Also set in Swedish (Svenska), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Oscar Blom.
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Death is the cool night", copyright © 2019
- ENG English (Emma Lazarus) , appears in Poems and Ballads of Heinrich Heine, first published 1881
- ENG English [singable] (Daniel Platt) , "O Death, that is the cooling night", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FIN Finnish (Suomi) (Milla Valkeasuo) , "Kuolema on kylmä yö", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- GRE Greek (Ελληνικά) (Ελενη Θεοδωριδου) , "Ο θάνατος είναι η κρύα νύχτα", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- HEB Hebrew (עברית) (Max Mader) , "המוות דומה ללילה הקריר", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "La morte è una notte fresca", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- LIT Lithuanian (Lietuvių kalba) (Giedrius Prunskus) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- SPA Spanish (Español) (Sergio Sarano) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- SPA Spanish (Español) (Elisa Rapado) , "La muerte es la fría noche", copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 8
Word count: 47
Death is the cool night
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
Death is the cool night; Life is the sultry day. It is growing dark already, and I feel drowsy, The day has made me weary. Above my bed stands a tree In which the young nightingale sings; It sings of sonorous love - And I even hear it in my dreams.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2019 by Emily Ezust
Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:
Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
from the LiederNet Archive -- https://www.lieder.net/For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.
licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), appears in Buch der Lieder, in Die Heimkehr, no. 87, first published 1826/7
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 8
Word count: 50