Der Neugierige
German source:
Wilhelm Müller
Ich frage keinen Stern,
Sie können mir alle nicht sagen,
Was ich erführ’ so gern.
Ich bin ja auch kein Gärtner,
Die Sterne stehn zu hoch;
Mein Bächlein will ich fragen,
Ob mich mein Herz belog.
O Bächlein meiner Liebe,
Wie bist du heut’ so stumm!
Will ja nur Eines wissen,
Ein Wörtchen um und um.
Ja, heisst das eine Wörtchen,
Das andre heisset Nein,
Die beiden Wörtchen schliessen
Die ganze Welt mir ein.
O Bächlein meiner Liebe,
Was bist du wunderlich!
Will’s ja nicht weiter sagen,
Sag’, Bächlein, liebt sie mich?
The Inquisitive One
English translation ©
Richard Wigmore
I ask no star;
none of them can tell me
what I would so dearly like to hear.
For I am no gardener,
and the stars are too high;
I will ask my little brook
if my heart has lied to me.
O brook of my love,
how silent you are today!
I wish to know just one thing,
one small word, over and over again.
One word is ‘yes’,
the other is ‘no’;
these two words contain for me
the whole world.
O brook of my love,
how strange you are.
I will tell no one else:
say, brook, does she love me?
Translations by Richard Wigmore first published by Gollancz and reprinted in the Hyperion Schubert Song Edition
Der Neugierige
German source:
Wilhelm Müller
The Inquisitive One
English source:
Richard Wigmore
Ich frage keine Blume,
I ask no flower,
Ich frage keinen Stern,
I ask no star;
Sie können mir alle nicht sagen,
none of them can tell me
Was ich erführ’ so gern.
what I would so dearly like to hear.
Ich bin ja auch kein Gärtner,
For I am no gardener,
Die Sterne stehn zu hoch;
and the stars are too high;
Mein Bächlein will ich fragen,
I will ask my little brook
Ob mich mein Herz belog.
if my heart has lied to me.
O Bächlein meiner Liebe,
O brook of my love,
Wie bist du heut’ so stumm!
how silent you are today!
Will ja nur Eines wissen,
I wish to know just one thing,
Ein Wörtchen um und um.
one small word, over and over again.
Ja, heisst das eine Wörtchen,
One word is ‘yes’,
Das andre heisset Nein,
the other is ‘no’;
Die beiden Wörtchen schliessen
these two words contain for me
Die ganze Welt mir ein.
the whole world.
O Bächlein meiner Liebe,
O brook of my love,
Was bist du wunderlich!
how strange you are.
Will’s ja nicht weiter sagen,
I will tell no one else:
Sag’, Bächlein, liebt sie mich?
say, brook, does she love me?
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:
- Young Artist Auditions (Session 7) 20 Apr 2024
- Die Schöne Müllerin 22 Oct 2023
- Schubert in 1823: The Refiner's Fire 21 Oct 2023
- The Oxford Lieder Young Artist Programme Audition Recitals (Day One - Part One) 17 Mar 2022
- Mastercourse Concert 29 Oct 2016