Der Knabe
German source:
Friedrich von Schlegel
Ach, wie wollt’ ich lustig fliegen,
Alle Vögel weit besiegen.
Wenn ich so ein Vogel bin,
Darf ich, alles haschen,
Und die höchsten Kirschen naschen;
Fliege dann zur Mutter hin.
Ist sie bös in ihrem Sinn,
Kann ich lieb mich an sie schmiegen,
Ihren Ernst gar bald besiegen.
Bunte Federn, leichte Flügel
Dürft’ ich in der Sonne schwingen,
Dass die Lüfte laut erklingen,
Weiss nichts mehr von Band und Zügel.
Wär’ ich über jene Hügel,
Ach, dann wollt’ ich lustig fliegen,
Alle Vögel weit besiegen.
The boy
English translation ©
Richard Wigmore
ah, how joyfully I would fly,
far outstripping all other birds.
If I were a bird
I could get everything
and nibble the highest cherries.
Then I’d fly back to mother.
If she were angry
I could nestle sweetly up to her
and soon overcome her sternness.
Coloured feathers, light wings,
I could flap them in the sunlight,
so that the air resounded loudly,
I would no longer be curbed and shackled.
If I were beyond those hills,
ah, how joyfully I would fly,
far outstripping all other birds.
Der Knabe
German source:
Friedrich von Schlegel
The boy
English source:
Richard Wigmore
Wenn ich nur ein Vöglein wäre,
If only I were a bird,
Ach, wie wollt’ ich lustig fliegen,
ah, how joyfully I would fly,
Alle Vögel weit besiegen.
far outstripping all other birds.
Wenn ich so ein Vogel bin,
If I were a bird
Darf ich, alles haschen,
I could get everything
Und die höchsten Kirschen naschen;
and nibble the highest cherries.
Fliege dann zur Mutter hin.
Then I’d fly back to mother.
Ist sie bös in ihrem Sinn,
If she were angry
Kann ich lieb mich an sie schmiegen,
I could nestle sweetly up to her
Ihren Ernst gar bald besiegen.
and soon overcome her sternness.
Bunte Federn, leichte Flügel
Coloured feathers, light wings,
Dürft’ ich in der Sonne schwingen,
I could flap them in the sunlight,
Dass die Lüfte laut erklingen,
so that the air resounded loudly,
Weiss nichts mehr von Band und Zügel.
I would no longer be curbed and shackled.
Wär’ ich über jene Hügel,
If I were beyond those hills,
Ach, dann wollt’ ich lustig fliegen,
ah, how joyfully I would fly,
Alle Vögel weit besiegen.
far outstripping all other birds.
Composer
Franz Schubert
Franz Peter Schubert was an late Classical and early Romantic composer. He produced a vast oeuvre during his short life, composing more the 600 vocal works (largely Lieder), and well as several symphonies, operas, and a large body of piano music. He…
Poet
Friedrich von Schlegel
Karl Wilhelm Friedrich (after 1814: von) Schlegel was a German poet, literary critic, philosopher, philologist and indologist. With his older brother, August Wilhelm Schlegel, he was one of the main figures of the Jena romantics. He was a zealous…