Songs

Man sagt mir, deine Mutter wolle es nicht

by Hugo Wolf From Italienisches Liederbuch

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This song was recorded live at the Oxford Lieder Festival as part of Hugo Wolf: The Complete Songs on Stone Records.
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Text & Translation

View IPA

Man sagt mir, deine Mutter wolle es nicht
German source: Paul Heyse

Man sagt mir, deine Mutter wolle es nicht;
So bleibe weg, mein Schatz, tu ihr den Willen.
Ach Liebster, nein! Tu ihr den Willen nicht,
Besuch mich doch, tu’s ihr zum Trotz, im Stillen!
Nein, mein Geliebter, folg’ ihr nimmermehr,
Tu’s ihr zum Trotz, komm öfter als bisher!
Nein, höre nicht auf sie, was sie auch sage;
Tu’s ihr zum Trotz, mein Lieb, komm all Tage!

They tell me your mother disapproves
English translation © Richard Stokes

They tell me your mother disapproves;
Then stay away, beloved, do as she bids.
Ah no! my love, do not do as she bids,
Defy her, visit me in secret!
No, my love, do not obey her ever again,
Defy her, come more often than before!
No, don’t listen to her, whatever she says;
Defy her, my love, come every day!

Translation © Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)

Man sagt mir, deine Mutter wolle es nicht
German source: Paul Heyse

They tell me your mother disapproves
English source: Richard Stokes

Man sagt mir, deine Mutter wolle es nicht;
They tell me your mother disapproves;
So bleibe weg, mein Schatz, tu ihr den Willen.
Then stay away, beloved, do as she bids.
Ach Liebster, nein! Tu ihr den Willen nicht,
Ah no! my love, do not do as she bids,
Besuch mich doch, tu’s ihr zum Trotz, im Stillen!
Defy her, visit me in secret!
Nein, mein Geliebter, folg’ ihr nimmermehr,
No, my love, do not obey her ever again,
Tu’s ihr zum Trotz, komm öfter als bisher!
Defy her, come more often than before!
Nein, höre nicht auf sie, was sie auch sage;
No, don’t listen to her, whatever she says;
Tu’s ihr zum Trotz, mein Lieb, komm all Tage!
Defy her, my love, come every day!

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

Paul Heyse

Paul Johann Ludwig von Heyse was a distinguished German writer and translator. A member of two important literary societies, the Tunnel über der Spree in Berlin and Die Krokodile in Munich, he wrote novels, poetry, 177 short stories, and about sixty…

Performances

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