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Ich träumte von bunten Blumen, So wie sie wohl blühen im Mai, Ich träumte von grünen Wiesen, Von lustigem Vogelgeschrei. Und als die Hähne krähten, Da ward mein Auge wach; Da war es kalt und finster, Es schrieen die Raben vom Dach. Doch an den Fensterscheiben, Wer [mahlte]1 die Blätter da? Ihr lacht wohl über den Träumer, Der Blumen im Winter sah? Ich träumte von Lieb' um Liebe, Von einer schönen Maid, Von Herzen und von Küssen, Von [Wonn']2 und Seligkeit. Und als die Hähne krähten, Da ward mein Herze wach; Nun sitz' ich hier alleine Und denke dem Traume nach. Die Augen schließ' ich wieder, Noch schlägt das Herz so warm. Wann grünt ihr Blätter am Fenster? Wann halt' ich [dich, Liebchen,]3 im Arm?
Confirmed with Gedichte aus den hinterlassenen Papieren eines reisenden Waldhornisten. Herausgegeben von Wilhelm Müller. Zweites Bändchen. Deßau 1824. Bei Christian Georg Ackermann, pages 103-104; and with Urania. Taschenbuch auf das Jahr 1823. Neue Folge, fünfter Jahrgang. Leipzig: F. A. Brockhaus. 1823, pages 221-222.
Note: in stanza 3, modern German would change the spelling of "mahlte" to "malte" (this spelling appeared in posthumous editions as early as 1864 - cf. Ausgewählte Gedichte von Wilhelm Müller, Leipzig: F. A. Brockhaus, 1864).
First published in Urania (see above) as no. 11 of Wanderlieder von Wilhelm Müller. Die Winterreise. In 12 Liedern.
1 Bredemeyer, Schubert: "malte" (Schubert Gesamtausgabe; also see note above)2 Schubert: "Wonne"
3 Bredemeyer, Schubert: "mein Liebchen"
Text Authorship:
- by Wilhelm Müller (1794 - 1827), "Frühlingstraum", written 1821-22, appears in Gedichte aus den hinterlassenen Papieren eines reisenden Waldhornisten 2, in Die Winterreise, no. 21, first published 1823 [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 Reiner Bredemeyer (1929 - 1995), "Frühlingstraum", 1984, first performed 1985 [ baritone, horn, and piano ], from Die Winterreise, no. 21, VEB Deutscher Verlag [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Conradin Kreutzer (1780 - 1849), "Frühlingstraum", op. 80, Heft 1 (Sechs ländliche Lieder von W Müller für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 5, KWV 9115 no. 5, published 1831 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Probst [sung text not yet checked]
- by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Frühlingstraum", op. 89 no. 11, D 911 no. 11 (1827), published 1828 [ voice and piano ], from Winterreise, no. 11, Haslinger [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Max Spicker (1858 - 1912), "Frühlingstraum", op. 8 (Zwei Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1885 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Fr. Luckhardt [sung text not yet checked]
- by Johannes (Hans) Wolfgang Zender (b. 1936), "Frühlingstraum", 1993 [ tenor and small orchestra ], from Schuberts Winterreise, no. 11 [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- AFR Afrikaans [singable] (Robert Schall) , "Lentedroom", copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Somni de primavera", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Lentedroom", copyright © 2005, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Arthur Rishi) , "A dream of springtime", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English [singable] (Shula Keller) , "Spring dream", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English [singable] (David Paley) , "Dreaming of spring", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FIN Finnish (Suomi) (Erkki Pullinen) , "Kevätunelmia", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Rêve de printemps", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRI Frisian [singable] (Pieter Wiersma) , "Foarjiersdream", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- HEB Hebrew (עברית) (Ehud Shapiro) , "חלום אביב", copyright © 2005, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- HEB Hebrew (עברית) (Max Mader) , "חלום אביב", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , "Sogno di primavera", copyright © 2005, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- KOR Korean (한국어/조선말) [singable] (곽명규 Myung-Kew Kwack) , "봄의 꿈", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- LIT Lithuanian (Lietuvių kalba) (Giedrius Prunskus) , "Pavasario sapnas", copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- SPA Spanish (Español) (Carlos Andrés Vega Roca Carlinhos) , "Sueños de primavera", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- SPA Spanish (Español) (Saúl Botero Restrepo) , "Sueño de primavera", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Ofer Sheinberg , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 125
Such colorful flowers I dreamed of, All blooming and lovely in May A fantasy of fresh meadows And wonderful creatures in song. But then cried out the rooster My eyes were opened wide. The world was cold and shadows And ravens all cackled aloud. And on my darkened windows Who was it who painted such leaves? Oh, why do you laugh at the dreamer With visions of winter flowers? (Who wiles away youthful hours...) I dreamed of a love untainted A maiden of beauty, and pure; Of kisses and sweet caresses Of happiness whole, and our joy. But then cried out the rooster And bid my heart awake And now alone I languish Is doubt and confusion my fate? Once more I close my eyes and My heart beats fast and strong When will those leaves grow truly - My love I will hold in my arms? (To cherish forevermore.)
Text Authorship:
- Singable translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2008 by Shula Keller, (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 Müller (1794 - 1827), "Frühlingstraum", written 1821-22, appears in Gedichte aus den hinterlassenen Papieren eines reisenden Waldhornisten 2, in Die Winterreise, no. 21, first published 1823
This text was added to the website: 2008-03-19
Line count: 26
Word count: 149