Songs

Wanderlied

by Hugo Wolf

If you would like to use our texts and translations, please click here for more information.

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 Quirijn de Lang and Sholto Kynoch, or click here to buy the CD from Stone Records.

Text & Translation

View IPA

Wanderlied
German source: Anon.

Es segeln die Wolken,
Weiss niemand wohin?
Die Lüfte, sie rauschen,
Wohin wohl, wohin?

Sie wandern zusammen,
Sie kommen und flieh'n,
Mag keiner mir künden,
Wohin wohl, wohin?

So zieh' ich ins Leben
Mit fröhlichem Sinn,
Doch frage mich niemand,
Wohin wohl, wohin?

Noch duften die Blüten,
Noch locket das Grün,
Glück auf zu dem Wandern,
Weiss selbst nicht wohin.

Wanderer's song
English translation © Richard Stokes

The clouds scud by,
Does no one know where?
The breezes murmur,
Where to, where to?

They journey together,
They come and they flee,
Can no one tell me,
Where to, where to?

And I set out into life,
Happy in mind,
But let no one ask me,
Where to, where to?

The blossom’s still fragrant,
Green still entices,
Good luck with wandering,
Though I know not where.

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

Wanderlied
German source: Anon.

Wanderer's song
English source: Richard Stokes

Es segeln die Wolken,
The clouds scud by,
Weiss niemand wohin?
Does no one know where?
Die Lüfte, sie rauschen,
The breezes murmur,
Wohin wohl, wohin?
Where to, where to?

Sie wandern zusammen,
They journey together,
Sie kommen und flieh'n,
They come and they flee,
Mag keiner mir künden,
Can no one tell me,
Wohin wohl, wohin?
Where to, where to?

So zieh' ich ins Leben
And I set out into life,
Mit fröhlichem Sinn,
Happy in mind,
Doch frage mich niemand,
But let no one ask me,
Wohin wohl, wohin?
Where to, where to?

Noch duften die Blüten,
The blossom’s still fragrant,
Noch locket das Grün,
Green still entices,
Glück auf zu dem Wandern,
Good luck with wandering,
Weiss selbst nicht wohin.
Though I know not where.

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

Help us with a Donation

Enjoying our texts and translations? Help us continue to offer this service to all.

Make a Donation

Select Tickets