Songs

Junghexenlied

by Richard Strauss From Fünf Lieder (1898) Op. 39

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Text & Translation

Junghexenlied
German source: Otto Julius Bierbaum

Als nachts ich überm Gebirge ritt,
Rack, schack, schacke mein Pferdchen,
Da ritt ein seltsam Klingeln mit,
Klingling, klingling, klingelalei.
Es war ein schmeichlerisch bittend Getön,
Es war wie Kinderstimmen schön.

Mir war’s, ich streichelt’ ein lindes Haar,
Mir war so weh und wunderbar.

Da schwand das Klingeln mit einemmal,
Ich sah hinunter in’s tiefe Thal.

Da sah ich Licht in meinem Haus,
Rack, schack, schacke mein Pferdchen,
Mein Bübchen sah nach der Mutter aus,
Klingling, klingling, klingelalei.

Young witch's song
English translation © Richard Stokes

When at night I rode across the mountains,
Clip-clop, clip-clop, my little horse,
A strange ringing went with us,
Ring-a-ling-ling.
It was an enticing, entreating sound,
As lovely as children’s voices.

I seemed to be stroking soft hair,
I felt so strange and sad.

Then suddenly the ringing was gone,
I looked down into the deep valley.

Then I saw a light in my house,
Clip-clop, clip-clop, my little horse,
My little boy was looking out for his mother,
Ring-a-ling-ling.

Junghexenlied
German source: Otto Julius Bierbaum

Young witch's song
English source: Richard Stokes

Als nachts ich überm Gebirge ritt,
When at night I rode across the mountains,
Rack, schack, schacke mein Pferdchen,
Clip-clop, clip-clop, my little horse,
Da ritt ein seltsam Klingeln mit,
A strange ringing went with us,
Klingling, klingling, klingelalei.
Ring-a-ling-ling.
Es war ein schmeichlerisch bittend Getön,
It was an enticing, entreating sound,
Es war wie Kinderstimmen schön.
As lovely as children’s voices.

Mir war’s, ich streichelt’ ein lindes Haar,
I seemed to be stroking soft hair,
Mir war so weh und wunderbar.
I felt so strange and sad.

Da schwand das Klingeln mit einemmal,
Then suddenly the ringing was gone,
Ich sah hinunter in’s tiefe Thal.
I looked down into the deep valley.

Da sah ich Licht in meinem Haus,
Then I saw a light in my house,
Rack, schack, schacke mein Pferdchen,
Clip-clop, clip-clop, my little horse,
Mein Bübchen sah nach der Mutter aus,
My little boy was looking out for his mother,
Klingling, klingling, klingelalei.
Ring-a-ling-ling.

Composer

Richard Strauss

Richard Georg Strauss was a German composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras. He is particularly well-known for his operas, Lieder, and tone poems.  Read more here.

Poet

Otto Julius Bierbaum

Otto Julius Bierbaum was a German writer.

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