Overview
"Schlafe, mein Prinzchen, schlaf ein" ("Sleep, my little prince, fall asleep") is a German lullaby dating from the 18th century. Mostly it was used as a German Christmas song, around the holiday and it was mostly sung by young choirs.
History
The words are by Friedrich Wilhelm Gotter. For many years, the common view was that the melody was composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and it was entered into the Köchel catalogue as K. 350. Attribution for the melody has since shifted to either Bernhard Flies or Friedrich Fleischmann, and it has been removed from the main body of the Köchel catalogue and put into the appendix for spurious or doubtful works as K. Anh. C 8.48.
Lyrics
Schlafe, mein Prinzchen, schlaf ein, Schäfchen ruhn und Vögelein, Garten und Wiese verstummt, auch nicht ein Bienchen mehr summt, Luna mit silbernem Schein gucket zum Fenster herein, schlafe bei silbernem Schein, schlafe, mein Prinzchen, schlaf ein, schlaf ein, schlaf ein! Auch in dem Schlosse schon liegt alles in Schlummer gewiegt, reget kein Mäuschen sich mehr, Keller und Küche sind leer, nur in der Zofe Gemach tönet ein schmachtendes Ach! Was für ein Ach mag das sein? Schlafe, mein Prinzchen, schlaf ein, schlaf ein, schlaf ein! Wer ist beglückter als du? Nichts als Vergnügen und Ruh! Spielwerk und Zucker vollauf und noch Karossen im Lauf, Alles besorgt und bereit, dass nur mein Prinzchen nicht schreit. Was wird da künftig erst sein? Schlafe, mein Prinzchen, schlaf ein, schlaf ein, schlaf ein!
Sleep, my little prince, sleep, The sheep and the birdies rest, The garden and the meadow are quiet, Not even a little bee buzzes anymore. Luna, with a silverly glow Looks in through the window, Sleep by the silvery glow, Sleep, my little prince, sleep, Sleep, sleep! By now, all are in bed in the castle, All lulled into a slumber, No more mice stir, The basement and kitchen are empty. Only in the maid's chambers There sounds a languishing sigh! What might this sigh be for? Sleep, my little prince, sleep, Sleep, sleep! Who is happier than you? Nothing but pleasure and peace! All trinkets and sugar, And a trotting stage-coach. Everyone's anxious and ready That my little prince will just not cry. But what will the future bring? Sleep, my little prince, sleep, Sleep, sleep!
Melody
Setting from . \header tagline = ##f \layout indent = 0\cm \context \Score \remove "Bar_number_engraver" global = \key d \major \time 6/8 % \tempo "Andante" sopranoVoice = \relative c \set Score.tempoHideNote = ##t \tempo 4. = 52 \global \dynamicUp \autoBeamOff fis,8^"Andante" g fis e d e d4 r8 r4. d8 g g g a b a4 r8 r4. e8 dis e e dis e g4 r8 r4. fis8 fis fis g fis g a4 r8 r4. b8 b b b ais b d4 r8 r4. a!8 a a a gis a d4 r8 r4. g,8 a g fis g a e4 r8 r4. fis8 g fis e d e \tempo 4. = 48 d4 r8 r4 fis8 a4.~ (a16 gis g fis ) g ( e ) \tempo 4. = 52 d4 r8 r4.
R2.*3 \bar " ." verse = \lyricmode Schla -- fe, mein Prinz -- chen, schlaf ein, Schäf -- chen ruhn und Vö -- ge -- lein, Gar -- ten und Wie -- se ver -- stummt, auch nicht ein Bien -- chen mehr summt, Lu -- na mit sil -- ber -- nem Schein gu -- cket zum Fen -- ster her -- ein, schla -- fe bei sil -- ber -- nem Schein, schla -- fe, mein Prinz -- chen, schlaf ein, schlaf ein, __ schlaf ein! rightOne = \relative c \global 4.\pp r8 8 r8 r r8 r8 r8 r8 cis' (a e' cis a) r8 r8 a fis fis' d a r8 \stemDown d' d g16 (fis e d cis b) r8 \stemNeutral r8 d' d fis16 (e d cis b a) 4 r8 4 r8 \slurDown (a gis g fis g16 e) 4 r8 4 r8 (a fis') (a fis') (a a') (a a') (a fis') (a fis') \slurUp 4.~ (a'16 gis g fis g e) d8 \ppp 4 r8 r4. rightTwo = \relative c \global s4. s4. r8 s4 r8 s4 r8 s4 r8 s4 r8 s4 r8 s4 s4. s4. g4. g4. r8 s4 s4. fis4. fis4. s4. s4. r8 s4 s4. r8 s4 s4. r8 s4 s4. s4 r8 s4 r8 s2. s4 r8 s4 r8 s2. s2. s2. s2. s2. s4 r8 r4. leftOne = \relative c \global \stemNeutral d4.\pp a d,4 r8 d'4 r8 d4 r8 d4 r8 d4 r8 d4 r8 a4 r8 a4 r8 a2. d4 r8 d4 r8 d2. g8 g g g g g fis fis fis fis fis fis 4 r8 4 r8 4.~ 4 r8 d,4 r8 a4 r8 d,4. d'4.
2. d4. d4. r8 \stemUp \ppp 4 r8 r4. leftTwo = \relative c' \global s2. s4 r8 s4 r8 s4 r8 s4 r8 s4 r8 s4 r8 s4 r8 s4 r8 s2. s4 r8 s4 r8 s2. s2. s2. s2. s2. s4 r8 s4 r8 s4. s4 r8 s4 r8 s4 r8 s2. s2. s2. a,2. s2. s4 r8 r4. sopranoVoicePart = \new Staff \with midiInstrument = "clarinet" \sopranoVoice \addlyrics \verse instrPart = \new PianoStaff > \new Staff = "left" \with midiInstrument = "acoustic guitar (nylon)" \consists "Merge_rests_engraver" \clef bass > >> \score > \layout \midi
External links
* * * Text, melody, recording by Andreas Scholl (voice), Tamar Halperin (piano), Liederprojekt