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"O Bänkelsänger Willie! Du ziehst zum Jahrmarkt aus; Du willst deine Geige verkaufen; O Willie, bleibe zu Haus!" Doch wie man für die Geige Schon blankes Silber ihm reicht, Da wird dem armen Willie Das Auge von Thränen feucht. "O Willie, verkauf' deine Geige, Verkauf' mir die Geige fein! O Willie, verkauf' deine Geige Und kauf' dir ein Schöppchen Wein!" Nein! nimmer verkauf' ich die Geige! Mich träfe zu harter Schlag: Ich hatte mit meiner Geige Schon manchen glücklichen Tag. "Jüngst lugt' ich in der Schenke; Sie saßen um den Tisch, Und obenan saß Willie, Und sang und geigte frisch. Sie lauschten seinen Tönen; Wie glühte jedes Gesicht! -- O Bänkelsänger Willie, Verkauf deine Geige nicht!"
Confirmed with Robert Burns’ Gedichte, deutsch von W. Gerhard, Leipzig: Verlag von Joh. Ambr. Barth., 1840, pages 102-103
Text Authorship:
- by Wilhelm Christoph Leonhard Gerhard (1780 - 1858), "Bänkelsänger Willie" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in Scottish (Scots) by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), "Rattlin, Roarin Willie"
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Ferdinand David (1810 - 1873), "Bänkelsänger Willie", op. 27 (Sechs Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 6, published 1850 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Kistner [sung text not yet checked]
- by Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856), "Bänkelsänger Willie", op. posth. 146 (Romanzen und Balladen für Chor (Heft 4)) no. 2 (1849), published 1860 [ SATB chorus ], Elberfeld, Arnold [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Willie, el cantant de fira", copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Kermiszanger Willie", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Ballad-monger Willie", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Dr. Gerrit den Hartogh , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2004-07-04
Line count: 24
Word count: 116
"Oh ballad-monger Willie! You travel to the fair; You wish to sell your fiddle; Oh Willie, stay at home!" But as they already offer him Shiny silver for his fiddle, Poor Willie’s eyes Fill with tears. "Oh Willie, sell your fiddle, Sell me your fiddle fine! Oh Willie, sell your fiddle And buy yourself a beaker of wine!" No! never shall I sell my fiddle! It would be too hard a blow: With my fiddle I have passed Many a happy day in the past. "I recently peered into the tavern; They were all sitting around the table, And at their head sat Willie, And sang and fiddled merrily. They harkened to his tones, How every face glowed! -- Oh ballad-monger Willie! Do not sell your fiddle!"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 by Sharon Krebs, (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 Wilhelm Christoph Leonhard Gerhard (1780 - 1858), "Bänkelsänger Willie"
Based on:
- a text in Scottish (Scots) by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), "Rattlin, Roarin Willie"
This text was added to the website: 2016-11-30
Line count: 24
Word count: 127