Songs

Volkslied

by Johannes Brahms

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Text & Translation

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Volkslied
German source: Anon.

Die Schwälble ziehet fort, ziehet fort,
Weit an en andre Ort;
Und i sitz' do in Traurigkeit,
Es isch a böse, schwere Zeit.

Könnt' i no fort durch d' Welt, fort durch d' Welt,
Weil mir's hie gar net, gar net g'fällt!
O Schwälble, komm, i bitt', i bitt'!
Zeig mir de Weg und nimm mi mit!

Folksong
English translation © Richard Stokes

The swallow flies away, flies away,
Far off to another place;
And I sit here in sorrow,
It’s a bad sad time.

If I too could fly through the world, the world,
Since I’m so very unhappy here!
O swallow, come, I beg, I beg,
Show me the way and take me with you!

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

Volkslied
German source: Anon.

Folksong
English source: Richard Stokes

Die Schwälble ziehet fort, ziehet fort,
The swallow flies away, flies away,
Weit an en andre Ort;
Far off to another place;
Und i sitz' do in Traurigkeit,
And I sit here in sorrow,
Es isch a böse, schwere Zeit.
It’s a bad sad time.

Könnt' i no fort durch d' Welt, fort durch d' Welt,
If I too could fly through the world, the world,
Weil mir's hie gar net, gar net g'fällt!
Since I’m so very unhappy here!
O Schwälble, komm, i bitt', i bitt'!
O swallow, come, I beg, I beg,
Zeig mir de Weg und nimm mi mit!
Show me the way and take me with you!

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…

Poet

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