This song was recorded live in The Jacqueline du Pré Music Building, St Hilda’s College as part of the Oxford Lieder Festival in 2006.
Click here to listen to this song performed by Sophie Daneman and Julius Drake.
Marienwürmchen
German source:
Anon.
Auf meine Hand, auf meine Hand,
Ich tu’ dir nichts zuleide.
Es soll dir nichts zuleid geschehn,
Will nur deine bunte Flügel sehn,
Bunte Flügel meine Freude.
Marienwürmchen, fliege weg,
Dein Häuschen brennt, die Kinder schrein
So sehre, wie so sehre.
Die böse Spinne spinnt sie ein,
Marienwürmchen, flieg hinein,
Deine Kinder schreien sehre.
Marienwürmchen, fliege hin
Zu Nachbars Kind, zu Nachbars Kind,
Sie tun dir nichts zuleide.
Es soll dir da kein Leid geschehn,
Sie wollen deine bunten Flügel sehn,
Und grüß sie alle beide.
Ladybird
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
On my hand, on my hand,
I shall do you no harm,
No harm will come of you,
I just want to see your bright wings,
Bright wings are my joy!
Ladybird, fly away home,
Your house is on fire, the children are crying
So sorely, so very sorely,
The wicked spider’s spinning them in,
Ladybird, fly away home,
You children are crying sorely.
Ladybird, fly off
To the children next door, next door,
They will do you no harm,
No harm will come of you there,
They want to see your bright wings,
And remember me to both of them.
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Marienwürmchen
German source:
Anon.
Ladybird
English source:
Richard Stokes
Marienwürmchen, setze dich
Ladybird, come and settle
Auf meine Hand, auf meine Hand,
On my hand, on my hand,
Ich tu’ dir nichts zuleide.
I shall do you no harm,
Es soll dir nichts zuleid geschehn,
No harm will come of you,
Will nur deine bunte Flügel sehn,
I just want to see your bright wings,
Bunte Flügel meine Freude.
Bright wings are my joy!
Marienwürmchen, fliege weg,
Ladybird, fly away home,
Dein Häuschen brennt, die Kinder schrein
Your house is on fire, the children are crying
So sehre, wie so sehre.
So sorely, so very sorely,
Die böse Spinne spinnt sie ein,
The wicked spider’s spinning them in,
Marienwürmchen, flieg hinein,
Ladybird, fly away home,
Deine Kinder schreien sehre.
You children are crying sorely.
Marienwürmchen, fliege hin
Ladybird, fly off
Zu Nachbars Kind, zu Nachbars Kind,
To the children next door, next door,
Sie tun dir nichts zuleide.
They will do you no harm,
Es soll dir da kein Leid geschehn,
No harm will come of you there,
Sie wollen deine bunten Flügel sehn,
They want to see your bright wings,
Und grüß sie alle beide.
And remember me to both of them.
Composer
Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms (7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, pianist, and conductor of the Romantic period. Born in Hamburg into a Lutheran family, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Vienna. Brahms has been considered, by his…
