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Von allen schönen Waaren, Zum Markte hergefahren, Wird keine mehr behagen Als die wir euch getragen Aus [fremden]1 Ländern bringen. O höret was wir singen! Und seht die schönen Vögel, Sie stehen zum Verkauf. Zuerst beseht den großen Den lustigen, den losen! Er hüpfet leicht und munter Von Baum und Busch herunter; Gleich ist er wieder droben. Wir wollen ihn nicht loben. O seht den muntern Vogel! Er steht hier zum Verkauf. Betrachtet nun den kleinen, Er will bedächtig scheinen, Und doch ist er der Lose, So gut als wie der Große; Er zeiget meist im Stillen Den allerbesten Willen. Der lose kleine Vogel, Er steht hier zum Verkauf. O seht das kleine Täubchen, Das liebe Turtelweibchen! Die Mädchen sind so zierlich, Verständig und manierlich; Sie mag sich gerne putzen Und eure Liebe nutzen. Der kleine, zarte Vogel, Er steht hier zum Verkauf. Wir wollen sie nicht loben, Sie stehn zu allen Proben. Sie lieben sich das neue; Doch über ihre Treue Verlangt nicht Brief und Siegel; Sie haben alle Flügel. Wie artig sind die Vögel, Wie reizend ist der Kauf!
Confirmed with Goethe's Werke, Vollständige Ausgabe letzter Hand, Erster Band, Stuttgart und Tübingen, in der J.G.Cotta'schen Buchhandlung, 1827, pages 43-44; and with Musen-Almanach fürs Jahr 1796. Herausgegeben von Johann Heinrich Voß. Hamburg bei Carl Ernst Bohn, pages 42-44 (title: "Die Liebesgötter auf dem Markte").
Note (provided by Laura Prichard): This poem was written in 1795 as part of an intended sequel for Die Zauberflöte, as a duet for Papageno and Papagena. The song was composed on 15 August 1815 and first published in 1850.
1 Schubert: "fernen"Text Authorship:
- by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), "Wer kauft Liebesgötter?", written 1795, appears in Der Zauberflöte zweiter Teil, first published 1796 [author's text checked 2 times against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Johann Andreas Anschütz (1772 - 1855?), "Wer kauft Liebesgötter?", 1813, published 1849 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Gottlob Bachmann (1763 - 1840), "Wer kauft Liebesgötter?", op. 45 no. 1 (1804) [sung text not yet checked]
- by Johann Christoph Kienlen (1783 - 1829), "Wer kauft Liebesgötter", published 1812 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Johann Friedrich Reichardt (1752 - 1814), "Wer kauft Liebesgötter?", published 1796 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Wer kauft Liebesgötter?", D 261 (1815), published 1850 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Václav Jan Křtitel Tomášek (1774 - 1850), "Wer kauft Liebesgötter?", op. 53 (Gedichte von Goethe: I) no. 6 (1815?) [sung text not yet checked]
- by Karl Friedrich Zelter (1758 - 1832), "Wer kauft Liebesgötter?", 1802 [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Qui compra déus d’amor?", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Wie koopt liefdesgodjes?", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Laura Prichard) , "Gods of Love for sale!, or, Who will buy these Cupids?", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Qui achète ces dieux d'amour ?", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 40
Word count: 182
Of all the beautiful wares Brought to the market, None will please more Than those we bring you From faraway lands. Oh, hear what we’re singing And see the beautiful birds For sale! First check out the large one, The happy one, the mischievous one! He hops lightly down From tree and bush; And hops right back up again. We won’t praise him. Oh, look at the cheerful bird. He's for sale. Now look at the small one, He wants to seem thoughtful, But he’s mischievous, Just as much as the big one; He usually displays, when quiet, His very best intentions. This mischievous little bird, Is for sale. Oh see this little dove, The lovely turtledove! Girls are so dainty, Understanding and well-mannered; She likes to groom herself And encourage your love. This small, gentle bird, Is for sale. We won’t praise them, You can see for yourself. They love novelty; But regarding their fidelity Don’t ask us to give you our word; They all have wings. How well-behaved are these birds. How charming a purchase!
Translator's note for stanza 5, line 5: literally: "don’t demand letter and seal" - meaning personal assurance, similar to the English pharse, "signed and sealed"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 by Laura Prichard, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), "Wer kauft Liebesgötter?", written 1795, appears in Der Zauberflöte zweiter Teil, first published 1796
This text was added to the website: 2016-05-17
Line count: 40
Word count: 177