Tragische Geschichte

's war einer, dem's zu Herzen ging,
Daß ihm der Zopf nach hinten hing,
Er wollt es anders haben.

Da denkt er denn, wie fang ich's an?
Ich dreh' mich 'rum, so ist's getan,
Der Zopf, der hängt ihm hinten.

Da hat er flink sich umgedreht,
Und wie es stund, es annoch steht:
Der Zopf, der hängt ihm hinten.

Da dreht er schnell sich anders 'rum,
's wird aber noch nicht besser drum,
Der Zopf, der hängt ihm hinten.

Er dreht sich links, er dreht sich rechts,
Er tut nichts Guts, er tut nichts Schlechts,
Der Zopf, der hängt ihm hinten.

Er dreht sich wie ein Kreisel fort,
Es hilft zu nichts, mit einem Wort -
Der Zopf, der hängt ihm hinten.

Und seht, er dreht sich immer noch
Und denkt, es hilft am Ende doch,
Der Zopf, der hängt ihm hinten.

by Adelbert von Chamisso (1781-1838) , "Tragische Geschichte", from Lieder und lyrisch epische Gedichte

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

by Edward Hartenfels , "Tragische Geschichte"
by Hans Erich Pfitzner (1869-1949) , "Tragische Geschichte", op. 22 no. 2 (1907).
by Joseph (Gabriel) Rheinberger (1839-1901) , "Tragische Geschichte", op. 44 (Drei vierstimmige Männerchöre) no. 3 (1869). [TTBB chorus]
by Johann Vesque von Püttlingen (1803-1883) , "Der Zopf", op. 47 no. 6 (1844-51?)

by Arthur Bergh (1882-1962) , "A tragic story", published 1950. [SATB chorus a cappella]
by (Edward) Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) , "A tragic story", op. 7 no. 2, published 1936 [children's chorus and piano], from Friday Afternoons, no. 2.
by Frederic Field Bullard (1864-1904) , "The pigtail", published 1901. [SATB chorus and piano ad libitum]
by Sir Ernest Bullock (1890-1979) , "A tragic story", published 1923. [unison voices and piano]
by George Whitefield Chadwick (1854-1931) , "A tragic story", published 1928. [two-part SB chorus]
by Madeleine Dring (1923-1977) , "The pigtail", published 1963. [SS chorus and piano]
by J. Bertram Fox (1881-1946) , "A tragic tale", published <<1940. [high voice and piano]
by Henry Franklin Belknap Gilbert (1868-1928) , "The pigtail", published 1928. [voice and piano]
by Ann Hamerton , "A tragic story", published 1958. [SS chorus and piano]
by Harold Noble (1903-) , "A tale of long ago", published 1955. [SATB chorus a cappella]
by George Norman Peterkin (1886-?) , "A tragic story", published 1951. [two-part chorus (soprano, mezzo-soprano) and piano]
by Joseph Roff (1910-1993) , "A tragic story", published 1958. [soprano, tenor, or baritone solo, four-part chorus (SATBar), and piano]
by David D. Slater , "A tragic tale", published 1899. [voice and piano]
by Peter Andrew Tranchell (1922-) , "A tragic story", 1962, first performed 1962 [SATB chorus with divisi a cappella], from Thackeray Ditties, no. 1.
by Joseph Wardale , "The pigtail", published 1956. [SSS chorus and piano]

ENG English (Emily Ezust)

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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