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 Stephan Loges and Sholto Kynoch, click here to buy the CD from Stone Records.
Lied eines Verliebten
German source:
Eduard Mörike
Weckt mich mein Herz, an dich zu denken,
Da doch gesunde Jugend schlafen mag.
Hell ist mein Aug um Mitternacht,
Heller als frühe Morgenglocken:
Wann hättst du je am Tage mein gedacht?
Wär ich ein Fischer, stünd ich auf,
Trüge mein Netz hinab zum Flusse,
Trüg herzlich froh die Fische zum Verkauf.
In der Mühle, bei Licht, der Müllerknecht
Tummelt sich, alle Gänge klappern;
So rüstig Treiben wär mir eben recht!
Weh, aber ich! o armer Tropf!
Muss auf dem Lager mich müssig grämen,
Ein ungebärdig Mutterkind im Kopf.
A lover's song
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
My heart wakes me to think of you,
When healthy lads would love to sleep.
My eyes are bright at midnight,
Brighter than early morning bells:
Did you ever think of me by day?
If I were a fisherman, I’d get up,
Carry my net down to the river,
Gladly carry the fish to market.
The miller’s lad, at first light,
Is hard at work, the machinery clatters;
Such hearty work would suit me well!
But I, alas, poor wretch,
Must lie idly grieving on my bed,
Obsessed with that unruly girl!
Translation © Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Lied eines Verliebten
German source:
Eduard Mörike
A lover's song
English source:
Richard Stokes
In aller Früh, ach, lang vor Tag,
At first dawn, ah! long before day,
Weckt mich mein Herz, an dich zu denken,
My heart wakes me to think of you,
Da doch gesunde Jugend schlafen mag.
When healthy lads would love to sleep.
Hell ist mein Aug um Mitternacht,
My eyes are bright at midnight,
Heller als frühe Morgenglocken:
Brighter than early morning bells:
Wann hättst du je am Tage mein gedacht?
Did you ever think of me by day?
Wär ich ein Fischer, stünd ich auf,
If I were a fisherman, I’d get up,
Trüge mein Netz hinab zum Flusse,
Carry my net down to the river,
Trüg herzlich froh die Fische zum Verkauf.
Gladly carry the fish to market.
In der Mühle, bei Licht, der Müllerknecht
The miller’s lad, at first light,
Tummelt sich, alle Gänge klappern;
Is hard at work, the machinery clatters;
So rüstig Treiben wär mir eben recht!
Such hearty work would suit me well!
Weh, aber ich! o armer Tropf!
But I, alas, poor wretch,
Muss auf dem Lager mich müssig grämen,
Must lie idly grieving on my bed,
Ein ungebärdig Mutterkind im Kopf.
Obsessed with that unruly girl!
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…