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 Geraldine McGreevy and Sholto Kynoch, or click here to buy the CD from Stone Records.
Wohl kenn ich Euern Stand, der nicht gering
German source:
Paul Heyse
Ihr brauchtet nicht so tief herabzusteigen,
Zu lieben solch ein arm und niedrig Ding,
Da sich vor Euch die Allerschönsten neigen.
Die schönsten Männer leicht besiegtet Ihr,
Drum weiss ich wohl, Ihr treibt nur Spiel mit mir.
Ihr spottet mein, man hat mich warnen wollen,
Doch ach, Ihr seid so schön! Wer kann Euch grollen?
Your station is no mean one, I'm well aware
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
You had no need to stoop so far
As to love so poor and humble creature as me,
When even the fairest bow before you.
You easily conquered the handsomest of men,
So I know full well you’re just toying with me.
You’re mocking me, they tried to warn me,
But ah! you’re so handsome. Who could mind?
Translation © Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Wohl kenn ich Euern Stand, der nicht gering
German source:
Paul Heyse
Your station is no mean one, I'm well aware
English source:
Richard Stokes
Wohl kenn' ich Euern Stand, der nicht gering.
Your station is no mean one, I’m well aware.
Ihr brauchtet nicht so tief herabzusteigen,
You had no need to stoop so far
Zu lieben solch ein arm und niedrig Ding,
As to love so poor and humble creature as me,
Da sich vor Euch die Allerschönsten neigen.
When even the fairest bow before you.
Die schönsten Männer leicht besiegtet Ihr,
You easily conquered the handsomest of men,
Drum weiss ich wohl, Ihr treibt nur Spiel mit mir.
So I know full well you’re just toying with me.
Ihr spottet mein, man hat mich warnen wollen,
You’re mocking me, they tried to warn me,
Doch ach, Ihr seid so schön! Wer kann Euch grollen?
But ah! you’re so handsome. Who could mind?
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
Paul Heyse
Paul Johann Ludwig von Heyse was a distinguished German writer and translator. A member of two important literary societies, the Tunnel über der Spree in Berlin and Die Krokodile in Munich, he wrote novels, poetry, 177 short stories, and about sixty…