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(Der Kopf spricht:) Ach, wenn ich nur der Schemel wär, Worauf der Liebsten Füße ruhn! Und stampfte sie mich noch so sehr, Ich wollte doch nicht klagen tun. (Das Herz spricht:) Ach, wenn ich nur das Kißchen wär, Wo sie die [Nadeln]1 steckt hinein! Und stäche sie mich noch so sehr, Ich wollte mich der Stiche freun. (Das Lied spricht:) Ach, wär ich nur das Stück Papier, Das sie als Papillote braucht! Ich wollte heimlich flüstern ihr Ins Ohr, was in mir lebt und haucht.
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Heinrich Heine, Buch der Lieder, Hoffmann und Campe, Hamburg, 1827, page 138.
1 Klein: "Nadel"Text Authorship:
- by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), no title, appears in Buch der Lieder, in Lyrisches Intermezzo, no. 34 [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 Ernst James Bremner (1868 - ?), "Der Verliebte", published 1899 [ voice and piano ], from Drei Lieder für 1 hohe -- für 1 tiefe Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung, no. 2, Berlin, Simrock [sung text not yet checked]
- by Don Forsythe (1932 - 2015), "Wünsche", published c2004-5 [ low voice and piano ], from Eine Dichtererzählung - Winterzyklus, no. 7 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Karl Ludwig Friedrich Hetsch (1806 - 1872), "Ach, wenn ich nur der Schemel wär" [sung text not yet checked]
- by Joseph Klein (1802 - 1862), "Wünsche", op. 6 (Acht Lieder und Gesänge) no. 6 [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Carl Ludwig Amand Mangold (1813 - 1889), "Wünsche", op. 18 (3 Lieder für Mezzo-Sopran, Alt oder Bariton) no. 1, published 1840 [ voice and piano ], Darmstadt, Pabst [sung text not yet checked]
- by Peter Schram , "Ach, wenn ich nur der Schemel wär", published 1880 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Konstantin Sidorovich (flourished c1873), "Ach, wenn ich nur der Schemel wär", published 1880, from Fünf Lieder von Heine, no. 5 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Korstiaan Stougie (1908 - 1988), "Ach, wenn ich", op. 1 (124 liederen : 1925-1969) no. 97 (1947), published 1972, from Heine-liederen (met Etüde-begeleiding) II : Mädchen, no. 5 [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Charles Beltjens) , no title, appears in Intermezzo lyrique, no. 34, first published 1827
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor] , Pierre Mathé [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2007-10-14
Line count: 15
Word count: 76
(The head speaks:) Ah, were I but the footstool Upon which the feet of the beloved rest! And though she stamped upon me ever so hard, Yet I would make no complaint. (The heart speaks:) Ah were I but the pincushion Into which she pokes the [needles]1! And though she stabbed me ever so much, I would rejoice over the stabs. (The poem speaks:) Ah, were but the piece of paper That she uses as curlpaper! Secretly I would whisper into Her ear what lives and breathe within me.
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Translations of title(s):
"Der Verliebte" = "The man in love"
"Ach, wenn ich nur der Schemel wär" = "Ah, were I but the footstool"
"Ach, wenn ich" = "Ah, were I"
"Wünsche" = "Wishes"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2018 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 Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), no title, appears in Buch der Lieder, in Lyrisches Intermezzo, no. 34
This text was added to the website: 2018-04-19
Line count: 15
Word count: 80