THE CHRISTMAS ROSE IN SONGS AND POEMS
Winter flowering Helleborus is not only an ornament in gardens today. In the past, it was also often an inspiration for poets. Winter flowers symbolise liveliness and new beginning. In the Christian religious context, the white flowers of the Christmas Rose are also associated with hope, innocence and immaculateness. If nothing else, because they flower at the time of the most known Christian holiday, which is also indicated by the name Christmas Rose. Helleborus has always been a very special plant, as the following texts illustrate.
Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming
The oldest proof of the music for the lyrics can be found in the Speyer service book from 1599. A legend has it that Saint Lawrence was inspired to write the hymn at Christmas when he saw the Christmas Rose.
It came, a flower bright
Amid the cold of winter
When half-spent was the night
Isaiah 'twas foretold it
The Rose I have in mind:
With Mary we behold it
The virgin mother kind
To show God's love aright
She bore to men a Savior
When half-spent was the night
This Flower, whose fragrance tender
With sweetness fills the air
Dispels with glorious splendor
The darkness everywhere
True man, yet very God
From sin and death He saves us
And lightens every load
O Savior, child of Mary,
Who felt our human woe
O Savior, King of glory,
Who dost our weakness know;
Bring us at length we pray,
To the bright courts of
Heaven And to the endless day!
ES BLÜHT EINE ROSE ZUR WEIHNACHTSZEIT (CHRISTMAS ROSE)
The German operetta-ish Christmas song "Es blüht eine Rose zur Weihnachtszeit", also called "Christmas Rose", makes direct reference to the Christmas Rose. Robert Stolz set Kurt Herta's poem to music. The interpretations by the tenor René Kollo in the 1970s and, more recently, the baritone Thomas Hampson, made the sentimental piece very popular.
Video: René Kollo sings "Es blüht eine Rose zur Weihnachtszeit"
Drinnen im Herzen still:
Daß immer und ewig so schön wie heut‘
Frieden werden will.
Christrose, Christrose,
Christrose, Christrose,
Blume der heiligen Nacht!
Christrose, Christrose,
Christrose, Christrose,
Hast mir die Hoffnung gebracht!
Die Liebe vertreibt meine Einsamkeit,
Mir tut das Herz nicht mehr weh,
Es blüht eine Rose zur Weihnachtszeit
Draußen in Eis und Schnee.
ON A CHRISTMAS ROSE
Eduard Mörike (1804-1875), in his poem "On a Christmas Rose", penned the most famous literary eulogy of the early-flowering buttercup.
Never shall it taste your liquid honey.
But who knows if perhaps its gentle ghost,
When summer’s loveliness has faded,
Might some day, dizzy with your faint fragrance,
Unseen by me, circle you as you flower?
Quelle: www.oxfordlieder.co.uk/song/1573 English Translation © Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
DIE WEISSE WEIHNACHTSROSE ("THE WHITE CHRISTMAS ROSE")
The German lyric and epic poet and medical doctor Hermann Lingg (1820-1905) composed mostly ballads. But he also wrote dramas, stories and poems and dedicated one poem to the Christmas Rose, titling it "The White Christmas Rose".
Kein Blümchen sonst auf weiter Flur;
in ihrem Dornenkleid
nur sie, die niedre Distel nur
trotz allem Winterleid;
das macht, sie will erwarten still,
bis sich die Sonne wendet,
damit sie weiß, dass Schnee und Eis
auch diesmal wieder endet.
Doch ist’s geschehn, nimmt fühlbar kaum
der Nächte Dunkel ab,
dann sinkt mit einem Hoffnungstraum
auch sie zurück ins Grab.
Nun schläft sie gern; sie hat von fern
des Frühlings Gruß vernommen,
und o wie bald wird glanzumwallt
er sie zu wecken kommen.
DIE CHRISTROSE HEBT IHR WEISSES HAUPT ("THE CHRISTMAS ROSE RAISES ITS WHITE PATE")
Johannes Trojan (1837-1915) wrote stories, confabulations, travelogues and articles on the German flora. He remembered the Christmas Rose in a poem.
Selber geht sie dahin und schwindet
Eh’ der Lenz kommt und sie findet,
Aber sie hat ihn doch verkündet,
Als noch keiner an ihn geglaubt.