Songs

Morgentau

by Hugo Wolf From Sechs Lieder für eine Frauenstimme (1877) 1877 - 82

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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

Morgentau
German source: Anon.

Der Frühhauch hat gefächelt
Hinweg die schwüle Nacht,
Die Flur holdselig lächelt
In ihrer Lenzespracht;
Mild singt vom dunklen Baume
Ein Vöglein in der Früh,
Es singt noch halb im Traume
Gar süsse Melodie.

Die Rosenknospe hebet
Empor ihr Köpfchen bang,
Denn wundersam durchbebet
Hat sie der süsse Sang;
Und mehr und mehr enthüllet
Sich ihrer Blätter Füll’,
Und eine Träne quillet
Hervor so heimlich still.

Morning Dew
English translation © Richard Stokes

The breath of dawn has fanned
Away the sultry night,
The meadow smiles blissfully
In its springtime splendour;
From the dark tree gently sings
A little bird at dawn,
Half-dreaming, it still sings
Some sweet melody.

The rose-bud lifts
Its head timorously aloft,
For the sweet song
Has magically thrilled her through;
Her abundant petals
Unfold more and more,
And a tear wells up
So secretly and silent

Morgentau
German source: Anon.

Morning Dew
English source: Richard Stokes

Der Frühhauch hat gefächelt
The breath of dawn has fanned
Hinweg die schwüle Nacht,
Away the sultry night,
Die Flur holdselig lächelt
The meadow smiles blissfully
In ihrer Lenzespracht;
In its springtime splendour;
Mild singt vom dunklen Baume
From the dark tree gently sings
Ein Vöglein in der Früh,
A little bird at dawn,
Es singt noch halb im Traume
Half-dreaming, it still sings
Gar süsse Melodie.
Some sweet melody.

Die Rosenknospe hebet
The rose-bud lifts
Empor ihr Köpfchen bang,
Its head timorously aloft,
Denn wundersam durchbebet
For the sweet song
Hat sie der süsse Sang;
Has magically thrilled her through;
Und mehr und mehr enthüllet
Her abundant petals
Sich ihrer Blätter Füll’,
Unfold more and more,
Und eine Träne quillet
And a tear wells up
Hervor so heimlich still.
So secretly and silent

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

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