The grave
(Poet's title: Das Grab)
Set by Schubert:
D 329A
for four part chorus (SATB)[December 28, 1815]
D 330
for one or more part choir with piano[December 28, 1815]
D 377
for choir (TTBB) and piano[February 11, 1816]
D 569
for male voice choir and piano[June 1817]
D 643A
for SATB quartet[1819]
Das Grab ist tief und stille
Und schauderhaft sein Rand,
Es deckt mit schwarzer Hülle
Ein unbekanntes Land.
Das Lied der Nachtigallen
Tönt nicht in seinem Schoß;
Der Freundschaft Rosen fallen
Nur auf des Hügels Moos.
Verlassne Bräute ringen
Umsonst die Hände wund;
Der Waisen Klagen dringen
Nicht in der Tiefe Grund.
Doch sonst an keinem Orte
Wohnt die ersehnte Ruh;
Nur durch die dunkle Pforte
Geht man der Heimat zu.
Das arme Herz, hienieden
Von manchem Sturm bewegt,
Erlangt den wahren Frieden
Nur, wo es nicht mehr schlägt.
The grave is deep and quiet
And its rim is terrifying.
Its black covering hides
An unknown country.
The song of the nightingale
Does not resound in its womb.
The roses of friendship are all that fall
Onto the moss on its mound.
Abandoned brides wring
Their hands sore, but in vain;
The laments of orphans do not penetrate
Into the soil of those depths.
Yet there is no other place
Where the rest we long for dwells;
Only through that dark doorway
Is it possible for people to go home.
The poor heart, here below
Disturbed by so many storms,
Only reaches true peace
There where it no longer beats.
All translations into English that appear on this website, unless otherwise stated, are by Malcolm Wren. You are free to use them on condition that you acknowledge Malcolm Wren as the translator and schubertsong.uk as the source. Unless otherwise stated, the comments and essays that appear after the texts and translations are by Malcolm Wren and are © Copyright.
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Themes and images in this text:
Black Covers and covering Doors and gates Graves and burials Hands Hearts High, low and deep Home (Heimat) Laments, elegies and mourning Lap, womb (Schoß) Moss Nightingales, Philomel Orphans Rims and edges Roses and pink Storms Widows
Wittgenstein argued that our own death is not something that we can possibly experience. Similarly, this reflection on the grave reminds us that the impact of our own death is experienced primarily by others. Salis-Seewis uses the vivid image of jilted or abadoned brides (inevitably reminding many of us of Miss Havisham in Great Expectations) to evoke what it is like to be widowed. Widows can wring their hands until they bleed, orphans can wail for as long as they have breath, but none of this can reach into the grave to affect the husband and father who is now lying there dead.
Standing on the edge of the grave as the body is lowered into it is terrifying for the mourners, rather than for the corpse. After the grave has been filled in and moss has started to grow over the mound some friends may still lay flowers on it, but the dead body is as oblivious to this as it is to the singing of the nightingale. We tell ourselves that this lack of response is connected with the ‘rest’ that we need after the buffetting of the storms of life. We therefore decide to see the grave as a doorway that opens up the way to our true home. However, the friends, widows and orphans standing by as the grave is filled in see it instead as a door that has closed.
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Original Spelling Das Grab Das Grab ist tief und stille, Und schauderhaft sein Rand. Es deckt mit schwarzer Hülle Ein unbekanntes Land. Das Lied der Nachtigallen Tönt nicht in seinem Schooß. Der Freundschaft Rosen fallen Nur auf des Hügels Moos. Verlaßne Bräute ringen Umsonst die Hände wund; Der Waisen Klagen dringen Nicht in der Tiefe Grund. Doch sonst an keinem Orte Wohnt die ersehnte Ruh; Nur durch die dunkle Pforte Geht man der Heimath zu. Das arme Herz, hienieden Von manchem Sturm bewegt, Erlangt den wahren Frieden Nur wo es nicht mehr schlägt.
Confirmed by Peter Rastl with Gedichte von J. G. von Salis. Gesammelt durch seinen Freund Friedrich Matthisson. Zürich, bey Orell, Gessner, Füssli und Compagnie. 1793, pages 35-36; and with Gedichte von J. G. von Salis. Neueste Auflage. Wien 1815. Bey B. Ph. Bauer, pages 36-37.
First published in a different version in Göttinger Musenalmanach 1788
To see an early edition of the text, go to page 36 [50 von 192] here: http://digital.onb.ac.at/OnbViewer/viewer.faces?doc=ABO_%2BZ160622604