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 Sophie Daneman and Sholto Kynoch, or click here to buy the CD from Stone Records.
Erstes Liebeslied eines Mädchens
German source:
Eduard Mörike
Aber ich bin bange;
Greif ich einen süssen Aal?
Greif ich eine Schlange?
Lieb ist blinde
Fischerin;
Sagt dem Kinde,
Wo greifts hin?
Schon schnellt mir's in Händen!
Ach Jammer! o Lust!
Mit Schmiegen und Wenden
Mir schlüpft's an die Brust.
Es beisst sich, o Wunder!
Mir keck durch die Haut,
Schiesst’s Herze hinunter!
O Liebe, mir graut!
Was tun, was beginnen?
Das schaurige Ding,
Es schnalzet da drinnen,
Es legt sich im Ring.
Gift muss ich haben!
Hier schleicht es herum,
Tut wonniglich graben
Und bringt mich noch um!
A girl's first love song
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
But I’m afraid;
Is it a sweet eel?
Is it a snake?
Love’s a blind
Fisher-girl;
Tell the child
What she’s caught.
It’s rearing up in my hands!
Ah misery, oh joy!
Nestling and wriggling
It slithers to my bosom.
Incredible! It bites its way
Boldly through my skin,
Plunges down to my heart!
O Love, I shudder!
What can I do?
The ghastly thing’s
Snapping in there,
Coiling into a ring.
I must have poison!
It’s creeping about,
It burrows deliciously
And will be the death of my yet.
Erstes Liebeslied eines Mädchens
German source:
Eduard Mörike
A girl's first love song
English source:
Richard Stokes
Was im Netze? Schau einmal!
What’s in the net? Take a look!
Aber ich bin bange;
But I’m afraid;
Greif ich einen süssen Aal?
Is it a sweet eel?
Greif ich eine Schlange?
Is it a snake?
Lieb ist blinde
Love’s a blind
Fischerin;
Fisher-girl;
Sagt dem Kinde,
Tell the child
Wo greifts hin?
What she’s caught.
Schon schnellt mir's in Händen!
It’s rearing up in my hands!
Ach Jammer! o Lust!
Ah misery, oh joy!
Mit Schmiegen und Wenden
Nestling and wriggling
Mir schlüpft's an die Brust.
It slithers to my bosom.
Es beisst sich, o Wunder!
Incredible! It bites its way
Mir keck durch die Haut,
Boldly through my skin,
Schiesst’s Herze hinunter!
Plunges down to my heart!
O Liebe, mir graut!
O Love, I shudder!
Was tun, was beginnen?
What can I do?
Das schaurige Ding,
The ghastly thing’s
Es schnalzet da drinnen,
Snapping in there,
Es legt sich im Ring.
Coiling into a ring.
Gift muss ich haben!
I must have poison!
Hier schleicht es herum,
It’s creeping about,
Tut wonniglich graben
It burrows deliciously
Und bringt mich noch um!
And will be the death of my yet.
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…
Poet
Eduard Mörike
Eduard Friedrich Mörike was a German Romantic poet. Mörike was born in Ludwigsburg. His father was Karl Friedrich Mörike (d. 1817), a district medical councilor; his mother was Charlotte Bayer. He attended the Latin school at Ludwigsburg, and the…
Performances
Previously performed at:
- 92. Dirty Minds 21 Oct 2021
- 41. Dorothea Röschmann & Malcolm Martineau: Frauenliebe und -leben 14 Oct 2021
- Felicity Lott / Eugene Asti 04 Mar 2016