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... O, wär' mein Lieb ein Holderstrauch, Wie der, voll Blumen jeder Ast! O, wär' ich selbst ein Vögelein! Auf seinen Zweigen hielt' ich Rast. Wie wollt' ich trauern, säh' ich ihn Entblättern von Herbst und Winters Weh'n; Wie singen, sähe blüh'nd und grün Ich wieder ihn im Lenze stehn! O, wär' mein Lieb' die rote Ros', Die auf des Schlosses Mauer glüht! O, wär' ich selbst der Tropfen Thau, Den man im Kelch der Rose sieht! An ihrer Brust die ganze Nacht Läg' ich, und schwelgt' in trunkner Lust; Bis Morgens, wo der Tag erwacht, Läg' ich an ihrer süßen Brust. ...
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 3-4,1-2 of the original text.
Note: Freiligrath has divided his translation into four stanzas, where Burns' original is usually published in two. He has also rearranged the stanzas, so Burns' stanza 1 corresponds to stanzas 3 and 4 of Freiligrath.
Composition:
- Set to music by Frederick Brandeis (1835 - 1899), "O wär mein Lieb ein Holderstrauch", op. 43 no. 1, published 1877, stanzas 3-4,1-2 [ voice and piano ], from Four Songs, no. 1, New York: Martens Brothers, also set in Scottish (Scots)
Text Authorship:
- by Ferdinand Freiligrath (1810 - 1876), no title [an adaptation]
Based on:
- a text in Scottish (Scots) by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), "O were my Love yon lilac fair"
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor], Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website: 2011-04-07
Line count: 16
Word count: 104
... Oh, were my love a juniper bush, Like that one, every branch full of blossoms! Oh, were I myself a little bird! Upon its branches I would rest. How I would sorrow if I saw it Being stripped of leaves by the blowing of autumn and winter; How would I sing, when once more in springtime I saw it standing in bloom and green! Oh, were my love the red rose That glows upon the castle's wall! Oh, were I myself the drop of dew That one sees in the calyx of the rose! Upon her breast the whole night long I would lie and revel in intoxicated joy; Until morning, when the day awakens, I would lie upon her sweet breast. ...
About the headline (FAQ)
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 3-4,1-2 of the original text.
Translations of title(s):
"Liebeswunsch" = "Love's wish"
"Mein Lieb" = "My love"
"O wär mein Lieb" = "Oh were my love"
"O wär' mein Lieb' die Rose roth" = "Oh were my love the rose so red"
"O wär' mein Lieb' die rote Ros'" = "Oh were my love the red rose"
"O, wär' mein Lieb' die rothe Ros'" = "Oh, were my love the red rose"
"O wär mein Lieb ein Holderstrauch" = "Oh were my love a juniper"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2022 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 Ferdinand Freiligrath (1810 - 1876), no title [an adaptation]
Based on:
- a text in Scottish (Scots) by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), "O were my Love yon lilac fair"
Go to the general single-text view
This text was added to the website: 2022-08-13
Line count: 16
Word count: 122