Songs
Biterolf
by Hugo Wolf From Sechs Gedichte von Scheffel, Mörike, Goethe und Kerner (1887) 1883-87
This song was recorded live at the Oxford Lieder Festival as part of Hugo Wolf: The Complete Songs on Stone Records.
Click here to listen to this song with Robert Holl and Sholto Kynoch, or click here to buy the CD from Stone Records.
Biterolf
German source:
Joseph Victor von Scheffel
Fern an der Heiden Strand,
Waldgrünes Thüringland,
Denk’ ich an dich.
Mildklarer Sternenschein,
Du sollst mir Bote sein,
Geh, grüss die Heimat mein,
Weit über Meer!
Feinden von allerwärts
Trotzt meiner Waffen Erz;
Wider der Sehnsucht Schmerz
Schirmt mich kein Schild.
Doch wie das Herz auch klagt,
Ausharr’ ich unverzagt:
Wer Gottes Fahrt gewagt,
Trägt still sein Kreuz.
Battle-weary and sun-scorched
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
Far away on a heathen shore,
Green-forested Thuringia,
I think of you.
Soft bright starlight,
You shall be my messenger,
Go, greet my homeland
Far across the sea.
My weapons’ steel defies
Enemies from every quarter;
Yet against the ache of longing
No shield protects me.
But however my heart complains
I shall endure undaunted:
He who has ventured forth on God’s crusade
Bears his cross uncomplaining.
Biterolf
German source:
Joseph Victor von Scheffel
Battle-weary and sun-scorched
English source:
Richard Stokes
Kampfmüd’ und sonn’verbrannt,
Battle-weary and sun-scorched,
Fern an der Heiden Strand,
Far away on a heathen shore,
Waldgrünes Thüringland,
Green-forested Thuringia,
Denk’ ich an dich.
I think of you.
Mildklarer Sternenschein,
Soft bright starlight,
Du sollst mir Bote sein,
You shall be my messenger,
Geh, grüss die Heimat mein,
Go, greet my homeland
Weit über Meer!
Far across the sea.
Feinden von allerwärts
My weapons’ steel defies
Trotzt meiner Waffen Erz;
Enemies from every quarter;
Wider der Sehnsucht Schmerz
Yet against the ache of longing
Schirmt mich kein Schild.
No shield protects me.
Doch wie das Herz auch klagt,
But however my heart complains
Ausharr’ ich unverzagt:
I shall endure undaunted:
Wer Gottes Fahrt gewagt,
He who has ventured forth on God’s crusade
Trägt still sein Kreuz.
Bears his cross uncomplaining.
Composer
Hugo Wolf
Hugo Filipp Jakob Wolf was born on 13 March 1860, the fourth of six surviving children, in Windischgraz, Styria, then part of the Austrian Empire. He was taught the piano and violin by his father at an early age and continued to study piano at the…
