×
Attention! Some of this material is not in the public domain.
It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.
To inquire about permissions and rates, contact Emily Ezust at licenses@email.lieder.example.net
If you wish to reprint translations, please make sure you include the names of the translators in your email. They are below each translation.
Note: You must use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.
by Julius Wolff (1834 - 1910)
Translation © by Sharon Krebs
Traf ich die Blonde im dämmrigen Gange
Language: German (Deutsch)
Traf ich die Blonde im dämmrigen Gange, Herzte sie, küßte sie, frug nicht erst lange. Zwar fing sie an, sich ein wenig zu wehren, Ließ sich's doch balde gefallen in Ehren; "Das aber sag' ich Dir," sprach sie, "Du Schlimmer! Wenn du kein Spielmann wärst, litt' ich es nimmer; Wenn du kein Spielmann wärst!" Dank für das Wort! und es sei nicht vergessen; Hab' mich mein Lebtag zu hoch nicht vermessen, Aber ihr Mägdelein mögt es euch merken, Haltet auf Tugend in Worten und Werken, Jeglichem Mann, was im Sinn er auch hege, Wenn's nicht ein Spielmann ist, geht aus dem Wege; Wenn's nicht ein Spielmann ist! Doch einem Spielmann, ja den könnt ihr glauben, Dürfet ihm dieses und jenes erlauben, Müsset ihm niemals mit Nein was verschlagen, Müsset nur immer hübsch Ja zu ihm sagen. Ach! und wie freu' ich mich, will es nicht hehlen: Weil ich ein Spielmann bin, kann mir's nicht fehlen; Weil ich ein Spielmann bin!
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Julius Wolff (1834 - 1910), "Wenn du kein Spielmann wärst", appears in Singuf: Rattenfängerlieder, first published 1881 [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 Alban Förster (1849 - 1916), "Wenn du kein Spielmann wärst", op. 94 (Zwei Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1887 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Fr. Luckhardt [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ernst Frank (1847 - 1889), "Wenn du kein Spielmann wärst ", op. 19, Heft 1 no. 4, published 1883 [ voice, violin obbligato, and piano ], from Zwölf Rattenfängerlieder aus Julius Wolff's "Singuf", no. 4, Leipzig, Kistner [sung text not yet checked]
- by Heinrich Karl Johann Hofmann (1842 - 1902), "Wenn du kein Spielmann wärst", op. 58 no. 5, published 1882 [ voice and piano ], from Singuf. Rattenfängerlieder von Julius Wolff, no. 5, Berlin, Challier & Co. [sung text not yet checked]
- by Heinrich Karl Johann Hofmann (1842 - 1902), "Wenn du kein Spielmann wärst ", op. 62a no. 1, published 1886 [ four-part men's chorus a cappella ], from Singuf. Rattenfängerlieder von Julius Wolff, für vierstimmige Männerchor, no. 1, Berlin, Challier & Co. [sung text not yet checked]
- by Carl Kleemann , "Wenn du kein Spielmann wärst ", published 1884 [ tenor and piano ], from Sechs Gedichte aus Singuf, Rattenfängerlieder von Julius Wolff, no. 2, Leipzig, Breitkopf & Härtel [sung text not yet checked]
- by Max Kretschmar , "Spielmannslied", op. 13 (Zwei Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1897 [ voice and piano ], Baden-Baden, Sommermeyer [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hugo Riemann (1849 - 1919), "Wenn du kein Spielmann wärst ", op. 36 no. 4, published 1884 [ baritone and piano ], from Spielmann's Lieder aus Julius Wolff's "Singuf", no. 4, Leipzig, Siegel [sung text not yet checked]
- by Friedrich Rosenthal (flourished c1882), "Wenn du kein Spielmann wärst", published 1882 [ baritone and piano ], from Singuf. 6 Spielmanns-Lieder aus Juluys Wolff's gleichnamigem Liederbuch, no. 3, Wien, Gutmann [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hans August Friedrich Zincke genannt Sommer (1837 - 1922), "Wenn du kein Spielmann wärst ", op. 4 no. 14 (1882/83), published 1884 [ voice and piano ], from Hunold Singuf. Rattenfängerlieder nach Julius Wolff's Dichtungen, no. 14, Braunschweig, H. Litolff [sung text not yet checked]
- by Felix von Woyrsch (1860 - 1944), "Wenn du kein Spielmann wärst ", op. 16 no. 3, published 1886 [ baritone and piano ], from Zehn Rattenfängerlieder aus Julius Wolff's "Singuf", no. 3, Hamburg, Niemeyer [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "If you weren’t a musician", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2010-02-24
Line count: 21
Word count: 160
If you weren’t a musician
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
When I met the blonde one in the dimly lit hallway, I caressed her, kissed her, wasted no time asking permission. To be sure, she began to struggle a bit, But soon she permitted it and even cherished it; “But I must tell you,” she said, “You rascal! If you weren’t a musician, I would never put up with it; If you weren’t a musician!” Thank you for that statement! and may it never be forgotten; In my whole life I have never been presumptuous, But you maidens might remember this: Hold fast to virtue in word and deed, Every man, whatever he may have in mind, If he is not a musician, avoid him; If he is not a musician! But a musician, yes, him you may believe, You may permit him this and that, You must never deny him anything with a “no”, You must always prettily say “yes” to him. Ah! and how happy I am, I have no wish to hide it: Because I am a musician, I shall lack nothing; Because I am a musician!
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2014 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 Julius Wolff (1834 - 1910), "Wenn du kein Spielmann wärst", appears in Singuf: Rattenfängerlieder, first published 1881
This text was added to the website: 2014-05-26
Line count: 21
Word count: 180