Songs
Mein Wagen rollet langsam (Schumann Op. 142 No.4)
by Heinrich Heine From Lyrisches Intermezzo (1823) 1822-1823
Mein Wagen rollet langsam (Schumann Op. 142 No.4)
German source:
Heinrich Heine
Durch lustiges Waldesgrün,
Durch blumige Täler, die zaubrisch
Im Sonnenglanze blühn.
Ich sitze und sinne und träume,
Und denk an die Liebste mein;
Da grüßen drei Schattengestalten
Kopfnickend zum Wagen herein.
Sie hüpfen und schneiden Gesichter,
So spöttisch und doch so scheu,
Und quirlen wie Nebel zusammen,
Und kichern und huschen vorbei.
My carriage is rolling slowly
English translation ©
Hal Draper
Through greenwoods laughing in fun,
Through flowered enchanted valleys
That bloom in the blaze of the sun.
I sit and think and ponder
And dream of my love as I ride,
When sudden three leering shadows
Bob their heads in at the side.
They skip and dance and make faces,
So mocking and yet so shy;
They chuckle and, mistily whirling,
Away like a mist they fly.
Translations by Hal Draper published by Oxford University Press and Suhrkamp/Insel Verlag (1984)
Mein Wagen rollet langsam (Schumann Op. 142 No.4)
German source:
Heinrich Heine
My carriage is rolling slowly
English source:
Hal Draper
Mein Wagen rollet langsam
My carriage is rolling slowly
Durch lustiges Waldesgrün,
Through greenwoods laughing in fun,
Durch blumige Täler, die zaubrisch
Through flowered enchanted valleys
Im Sonnenglanze blühn.
That bloom in the blaze of the sun.
Ich sitze und sinne und träume,
I sit and think and ponder
Und denk an die Liebste mein;
And dream of my love as I ride,
Da grüßen drei Schattengestalten
When sudden three leering shadows
Kopfnickend zum Wagen herein.
Bob their heads in at the side.
Sie hüpfen und schneiden Gesichter,
They skip and dance and make faces,
So spöttisch und doch so scheu,
So mocking and yet so shy;
Und quirlen wie Nebel zusammen,
They chuckle and, mistily whirling,
Und kichern und huschen vorbei.
Away like a mist they fly.
Composer
Poet
Heinrich Heine
Heine was born of Jewish parents. Much of his early life was influenced by the financial power of his uncle Salomon Heine, a millionaire Hamburg banker, with whom he remained on an awkward footing for many years. After he had been educated in the…