
"Der Mond ist aufgegangen" (German for "The moon has risen") is a Germanlullaby and evening song byMatthias Claudius, one of the most popular inGerman literature. Also known under the nameAbendlied (German for "evening song") it was first released inMusen-Almanach in 1779, published byJohann Heinrich Voß.[1] In 1783, Claudius published the poem with a modification to verse six inAsmus omnia sua secum portans oder Sämmtliche Werke des Wandsbecker Bothen IV. Theil.[2]
The poem "Nun ruhen alle Wälder [de]" (German for "Now all forests rest") byPaul Gerhardt from 1647 was its model. The exact dating is unclear; some believe that it was written in 1778 inHamburg-Wandsbek, others that it originated earlier inDarmstadt.[3]
The melody first associated with the poem was composed byJohann Abraham Peter Schulz and published in his 1790 collectionLieder im Volkston, bey dem Claviere zu singen[4] – this remains the most popular version (see notation below). Among many other settings, the text is also often found set to the melody of the above-mentioned 'Nun ruhen alle Wälder' (Innsbruck, ich muss dich lassen, byHeinrich Isaac).
| Text fromMusen Almanach (1779)[1] | English translation by Margarete Münsterberg[5] |
|---|---|
Der Mond ist aufgegangen | The moon is risen, beaming, |