Songs

Wanderers Nachtlied

by Hugo Wolf From Sechs Gedichte von Scheffel, Mörike, Goethe und Kerner (1887) 1883-87

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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.
Click here to listen to this song with Thomas Hobbs and Sholto Kynoch, or click here to buy the CD from Stone Records.

Text & Translation

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Wanderers Nachtlied
German source: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Der du von den Himmel bist,
Alles Leid und Schmerzen stillst,
Den, der doppelt elend ist,
Doppelt mit Erquickung füllst,
Ach, ich bin des Treibens müde!
Was soll all der Schmerz und Lust?
Süsser Friede!
Komm, ach komm in meine Brust!

Wanderer's Nachtlied
English translation © Richard Stokes

You who come from heaven,
Soothing all pain and sorrow,
Filling the doubly wretched
Doubly with refreshment,
Ah, I am weary of this restlessness!
What use is all this joy and pain?
Sweet peace!
Come, ah come into my breast!

Wanderers Nachtlied
German source: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Wanderer's Nachtlied
English source: Richard Stokes

Der du von den Himmel bist,
You who come from heaven,
Alles Leid und Schmerzen stillst,
Soothing all pain and sorrow,
Den, der doppelt elend ist,
Filling the doubly wretched
Doppelt mit Erquickung füllst,
Doubly with refreshment,
Ach, ich bin des Treibens müde!
Ah, I am weary of this restlessness!
Was soll all der Schmerz und Lust?
What use is all this joy and pain?
Süsser Friede!
Sweet peace!
Komm, ach komm in meine Brust!
Come, ah come into my breast!

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

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Johann Wolfgang Goethe was a German writer and statesman. His body of work includes epic and lyric poetry written in a variety of metres and styles; prose and verse dramas; memoirs; an autobiography; literary and aesthetic criticism; treatises on…

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