Listen to Franz Schubert's 'Heidenröslein' below, performed by British-Australian soprano Lauren Lodge-Campbell and American pianist Dylan Perez as part of the 2020 Oxford Lieder Festival.
Heidenröslein (trans. for guitar by Anton Diabelli (1781-1858)
German source:
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Röslein auf der Heiden,
War so jung und morgenschön,
Lief er schnell, es nah zu sehn,
Sah’s mit vielen Freuden.
Röslein, Röslein, Röslein rot,
Röslein auf der Heiden.
Knabe sprach: Ich breche dich,
Röslein auf der Heiden!
Röslein sprach: Ich steche dich,
Dass du ewig denkst an mich,
Und ich will’s nicht leiden.
Röslein, Röslein, Röslein rot,
Röslein auf der Heiden.
Und der wilde Knabe brach
’S Röslein auf der Heiden;
Röslein wehrte sich und stach,
Half ihm doch kein Weh und Ach,
Musst es eben leiden.
Röslein, Röslein, Röslein rot,
Röslein auf der Heiden.
Wild Rose
English translation ©
Richard Wigmore
growing in the heather;
it was so young, and as lovely as the morning.
He ran swiftly to look more closely,
looked on it with great joy.
Wild rose, wild rose, wild rose red,
wild rose in the heather.
Said the boy: I shall pluck you,
wild rose in the heather!
Said the rose: I shall prick you
so that you will always remember me.
And I will not suffer it.
Wild rose, wild rose, wild rose red,
wild rose in the heather.
And the impetuous boy plucked
the wild rose from the heather;
the rose defended herself and pricked him,
but her cries of pain were to no avail;
she simply had to suffer.
Wild rose, wild rose, wild rose red,
wild rose in the heather.
Translations by Richard Wigmore first published by Gollancz and reprinted in the Hyperion Schubert Song Edition
Heidenröslein (trans. for guitar by Anton Diabelli (1781-1858)
German source:
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Wild Rose
English source:
Richard Wigmore
Sah ein Knab’ ein Röslein stehen,
A boy saw a wild rose
Röslein auf der Heiden,
growing in the heather;
War so jung und morgenschön,
it was so young, and as lovely as the morning.
Lief er schnell, es nah zu sehn,
He ran swiftly to look more closely,
Sah’s mit vielen Freuden.
looked on it with great joy.
Röslein, Röslein, Röslein rot,
Wild rose, wild rose, wild rose red,
Röslein auf der Heiden.
wild rose in the heather.
Knabe sprach: Ich breche dich,
Said the boy: I shall pluck you,
Röslein auf der Heiden!
wild rose in the heather!
Röslein sprach: Ich steche dich,
Said the rose: I shall prick you
Dass du ewig denkst an mich,
so that you will always remember me.
Und ich will’s nicht leiden.
And I will not suffer it.
Röslein, Röslein, Röslein rot,
Wild rose, wild rose, wild rose red,
Röslein auf der Heiden.
wild rose in the heather.
Und der wilde Knabe brach
And the impetuous boy plucked
’S Röslein auf der Heiden;
the wild rose from the heather;
Röslein wehrte sich und stach,
the rose defended herself and pricked him,
Half ihm doch kein Weh und Ach,
but her cries of pain were to no avail;
Musst es eben leiden.
she simply had to suffer.
Röslein, Röslein, Röslein rot,
Wild rose, wild rose, wild rose red,
Röslein auf der Heiden.
wild rose in the heather.
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
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Johann Wolfgang Goethe was a German writer and statesman. His body of work includes epic and lyric poetry written in a variety of metres and styles; prose and verse dramas; memoirs; an autobiography; literary and aesthetic criticism; treatises on…