Text & Translation
Der Leiermann
German source:
Wilhelm Müller
Steht ein Leiermann,
Und mit starren Fingern
Dreht er was er kann.
Barfuss auf dem Eise
Schwankt er hin und her;
Und sein kleiner Teller
Bleibt ihm immer leer.
Keiner mag ihn hören,
Keiner sieht ihn an;
Und die Hunde knurren
Um den alten Mann.
Und er lässt es gehen
Alles, wie es will,
Dreht, und seine Leier
Steht ihm nimmer still.
Wunderlicher Alter,
Soll ich mit dir geh'n?
Willst zu meinen Liedern
Deine Leier dreh'n?
The Hurdy-Gurdy Player
English translation ©
Richard Wigmore
stands a hurdy-gurdy player;
with numb fingers
he plays as best he can.
Barefoot on the ice
he totters to and fro,
and his little plate
remains forever empty.
No one wants to listen,
no one looks at him,
and the dogs growl
around the old man.
And he lets everything go on
as it will;
he plays, and his hurdy-gurdy
never stops.
Strange old man,
shall I go with you?
Will you turn your hurdy-gurdy
to my songs?
Der Leiermann
German source:
Wilhelm Müller
The Hurdy-Gurdy Player
English source:
Richard Wigmore
Drüben hinter’m Dorfe
There, beyond the village,
Steht ein Leiermann,
stands a hurdy-gurdy player;
Und mit starren Fingern
with numb fingers
Dreht er was er kann.
he plays as best he can.
Barfuss auf dem Eise
Barefoot on the ice
Schwankt er hin und her;
he totters to and fro,
Und sein kleiner Teller
and his little plate
Bleibt ihm immer leer.
remains forever empty.
Keiner mag ihn hören,
No one wants to listen,
Keiner sieht ihn an;
no one looks at him,
Und die Hunde knurren
and the dogs growl
Um den alten Mann.
around the old man.
Und er lässt es gehen
And he lets everything go on
Alles, wie es will,
as it will;
Dreht, und seine Leier
he plays, and his hurdy-gurdy
Steht ihm nimmer still.
never stops.
Wunderlicher Alter,
Strange old man,
Soll ich mit dir geh'n?
shall I go with you?
Willst zu meinen Liedern
Will you turn your hurdy-gurdy
Deine Leier dreh'n?
to my songs?
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
Wilhelm Müller
Johann Ludwig Wilhelm Müller was a German lyric poet. Wilhelm Müller was born on October 7, 1794 at Dessau, the son of a tailor. He was educated at the gymnasium of his native town and at the University of Berlin, where he devoted himself to…
Performances
Previously performed at:
- 7. Benjamin Appl & Thomas Dunford: The Songwriter 15 Oct 2022
- 25b. The Wanderer 12 Oct 2021