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by Robert Reinick (1805 - 1852)
Translation © by Laura Prichard
Liebchen, wo bist du?
Language: German (Deutsch)
Zaubrer bin ich, doch was frommt es? Denn mein Lieb ist eine [Fei]1, Höhnt mich mit noch [ärgerm]2 Zauber, Ruf' ich freundlich sie herbei: Liebchen, wo bist du? Heute noch in Feld und Garten Ging ich, sie zu suchen, aus; Plötzlich lacht' aus einer Rose Glühend roth ihr Mund heraus: Liebster, da bin ich! Ich nun ward ein schneller Zephyr, Küßt im Flug die Rose schon. Ach! nur eine Rose küßt' ich, Liebchen war daraus entflohn. Liebchen, wo bist du? Sieh, da schaut sie aus der Sonne, Eingehüllt in Strahlen ganz, Und doch blinkten ihre Augen Mir durch all den Himmelsglanz: Liebster, da bin ich! Ich, zum klaren See mich wandelnd, Fing mir schnell den Sonnenschein; Ach! nur Sonnenstrahlen fing ich, Liebchen saß nicht mehr darein. Liebchen, wo bist du? Horch, da sang am Waldes-Ufer Plötzlich eine Nachtigall; Wohlbekannt war mir die Stimme, Und sie sang mit süßem Schall: Liebster, da bin ich! Schnell zum Abendstern [gewandelt]3, Blickt' ich durch die grüne Nacht; Ach! [ein leeres Nest]4 erblickt' ich, Liebchen [hatt']5 sich fortgemacht. Liebchen, wo bist du? Und so treibt sie's alle Tage, Läßt mir eben [jetzt nicht]6 Ruh', Während dieses Lied ich singe, Ruft sie unsichtbar mir zu: Liebster, da bin ich! Liebchen, mach' dem Spiel ein Ende, Komm nun endlich selbst herbei, Glaub', ein einz'ger Kuß ist schöner, Als die ganze Zauberei! Liebchen, wo bist du?
H. Wolf sets stanzas 1-3, 6-9
1 Wolf: "Fee"
2 Wolf: "ändern"
3 Wolf: "verwandelt"
4 Wolf: "den leeren Busch"
5 Wolf: "hat"
6 Marschner: "keine"
Text Authorship:
- by Robert Reinick (1805 - 1852), "Liebchen, wo bist du?", appears in Lieder, in Frühling und Liebe, first published 1844 [author's text checked 1 time 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 Carl Ludwig Amand Mangold (1813 - 1889), "Liebchen, wo bist du?", op. 74 (Sechs Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 3 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Heinrich August Marschner (1795 - 1861), "Liebchen, wo bist du?", op. 101 (5 Lieder von R. Reinick) no. 2, published 1839 [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Hugo Wolf (1860 - 1903), "Liebchen, wo bist du?", stanzas 1-3,6-9 [ voice and piano ], from 9 Reinick-Lieder, no. 2 [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Estimada, on ets?", copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Laura Prichard) , "Beloved, where are you?", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Chérie, où es-tu ?", first published 1892, copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Amore, dove sei tu?", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 45
Word count: 228
Beloved, where are you?
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
I'm a sorcerer, but what’s the use? For my love is a [fairy]1, [She] mocks me with more [aggravating]2 magic, [When] I call her to me in this kind way: Beloved, where are you? Again today in fields and gardens I went looking for her; Unexpectedly, I heard laughter emerge from a rose From the glowing red of her mouth: Beloved, here am I! Then I became a swift zephyr, Kissing the beautiful rose in flight. Alas! I only kissed the rose, As my beloved had flown away. Beloved, where are you? See, she is the very sunshine, Enveloped in every ray, And her eyes wink right At me through the sky’s briliance: Beloved, here am I! I, walking by the clear lake, Quickly caught one of the sun’s rays; Alas! I only caught a single ray, [And my] beloved no longer sat therein. Beloved, where are you? Hark, at the edge of the forest A nightingale suddenly sang; Well-known to me was the voice, And she sang with a dulcet tone: Beloved, here am I! Quickly [changing myself into]3 the evening star I peered through the green night; Alas! [an empty Nest]4 I saw, [My] beloved [had]5 continued on her way. Beloved, where are you? And so she carries on every day, Leaving me even now no rest, While I sing this song, Invisibly, she calls me to her: Beloved, here am I! Beloved, put an end to this game, Come on, just appear to me, Believe [me], a single kiss is more beautiful Than any sorcery! Beloved, where are you?
View original text (without footnotes)
2 Wolf: "changeable"
3 Wolf: "transforming myself into"
4 Wolf: "a vacant bush"
5 Wolf: "had"
H. Wolf sets stanzas 1-3, 6-9.
1 Wolf: "fairy"2 Wolf: "changeable"
3 Wolf: "transforming myself into"
4 Wolf: "a vacant bush"
5 Wolf: "had"
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 Robert Reinick (1805 - 1852), "Liebchen, wo bist du?", appears in Lieder, in Frühling und Liebe, first published 1844
This text was added to the website: 2016-09-20
Line count: 45
Word count: 262