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by Friedrich Rückert (1788 - 1866)
Translation © by Sharon Krebs
O süße Mutter
Language: German (Deutsch)
O süße Mutter, Ich kann nicht spinnen, Ich kann nicht sitzen Im Stüblein innen, Im engen Haus; Es stockt das Rädchen, Es reißt das Fädchen, O süße Mutter, Ich muß hinaus. Der Frühling gucket Hell durch die Scheiben, Wer kann nun sitzen, Wer kann nun bleiben Und fleißig sein? O laß mich gehen, [O]1 laß mich sehen, Ob ich kann fliegen [Wie]2 Vögelein. O laß mich sehen, O laß mich lauschen, Wo Lüftlein wehen, Wo Bächlein rauschen, Wo Blümlein blühn. Laß mich sie pflücken Und schön mir schmücken Die braunen Locken Mit buntem Grün. Und kommen Knaben [Im]3 wilden Haufen, So will ich traben, So will ich laufen, Nicht stille stehn; Will hinter Hecken Mich [hier]4 verstecken, Bis sie mit Lärmen Vorüber gehn. Bringt aber Blumen Ein frommer Knabe, Die ich zum Kranze Just nötig habe, Was soll ich tun? Darf ich wohl nickend, Ihm freundlich blickend, O süße Mutter, Zur Seit' ihm ruhn?
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)1 Wolf: "Und"
2 Wolf: "Wie's"
3 Wolf: "In"
4 Reinecke: "still"
Text Authorship:
- by Friedrich Rückert (1788 - 1866), no title, appears in Lyrische Gedichte, in 3. Liebesfrühling, in 1. Erster Strauß. Erwacht, no. 72 [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 (Johann Gottfried) Heinrich Bellermann (1832 - 1903), "O süsse Mutter", op. 3 (Sechs Lieder) no. 6, published 1857 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Paul Boehm , "O süsse Mutter, ich kann nicht spinnen", published 1891 [ voice and piano ], from Zwei Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung, no. 2, Berlin, Sulzer Nachf. [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ignaz Brüll (1846 - 1907), "O süße Mutter", op. 12 (Vier Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 4, published 1874 [ voice and piano ], Wien, Schreiber [sung text not yet checked]
- by Otto Fiebach (1851 - 1937), "O süsse Mutter, ich kann nicht spinnen", published 1880 [ voice and piano ], from An Susanne. Lieder der Liebe für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte, no. 30, Berlin, (Sulzbach) [sung text not yet checked]
- by Robert Fuchs (1847 - 1927), "O süsse Mutter, ich kann nicht spinnen", op. 56 (Vier Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 1, published 1899 [ voice and piano ], Langensalza, Beyer & Söhne [sung text not yet checked]
- by Carl Friedrich August Hering (1819 - 1889), "O süße Mutter ", op. 103 (Drei Chorgesänge für Sopran und Alt mit Pianoforte) no. 2, published 1869 [ SA chorus and piano ], Berlin, Trautwein [sung text not yet checked]
- by Robert Kahn (1865 - 1951), "O süsse Mutter, ich kann nicht spinnen", op. 34 no. 12 (1901) [ voice and piano ], from Liebesfrühling. 17 Lieder nach Gedichten von Friedrich Rückert, no. 12 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Carl Loewe (1796 - 1869), "O süße Mutter", op. 62, Heft 1 no. 3 (1837) [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Franz Mögele (1834 - 1907), "O süsse Mutter, ich kann nicht spinnen", op. 16 (Drei Lieder für Sopran mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 3, published 1885 [ soprano and piano ], Hamburg, Cranz [sung text not yet checked]
- by Carl Piutti (1846 - 1902), "O süsse Mutter, ich kann nicht spinnen", op. 7 (Sieben Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1879 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Kahnt [sung text not yet checked]
- by Karl Heinrich Carsten Reinecke (1824 - 1910), "O süße Mutter", op. 29 (Vier Lieder) no. 4 (1850) [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Carl Martin Reinthaler (1822 - 1896), "O süße Mutter", op. 21, published 1866 [ mezzo-soprano or baritone and piano ], Bremen, Cranz [sung text not yet checked]
- by Leopold Rosenfeld (1849 - 1909), "O süsse Mutter, ich kann nicht spinnen", op. 11 no. 5, published 1879 [ voice and piano ], from Heimathsklänge. Lieder für 1 hohe Singstimme mit Pianoforte, no. 5, Hamburg, Thiemer [sung text not yet checked]
- by Carl Julius Schmidt (1851 - 1917), "O süsse Mutter, ich kann nicht spinnen", op. 18 (Zwei Lieder für 1 hohe Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1895 [ high voice and piano ], Leipzig, Kistner [sung text not yet checked]
- by Carl Schön (1855 - 1925), "O, süsse Mutter, ich kann nicht spinnen", published 1890 [ voice and piano ], from [Sieben] Lieder und Gesänge für 1 Stimme mit Pianoforte, no. 4, Wien, Rättig [sung text not yet checked]
- by Eduard Schütt (1856 - 1933), "O süsse Mutter, ich kann nicht spinnen", op. 11 (Drei Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebleitung) no. 3, published 1887 [ voice and piano ], Hamburg, Rahter [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hugo Wolf (1860 - 1903), "Die Spinnerin", 1878, from Sechs Lieder für eine Frauenstimme, no. 3 [sung text checked 1 time]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in Swedish (Svenska), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Wilhelm Peterson-Berger.
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Oh sweet mother", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English [singable] (Anonymous/Unidentified Artist) , "O dearest Mother"
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "O dolce madre", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: John Versmoren , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 45
Word count: 154
Oh sweet mother
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
Oh sweet mother, I cannot spin; I cannot sit indoors In the little room, In the confining house; The spinning-wheel halts, The thread tears. Oh sweet mother, I must get out! Spring is peeping Brightly through the window-panes; Who can then sit And stay put now And be industrious? Oh let me go, [Oh]1 let me see If I can fly Like [the little birds]2. Oh let me go, Oh let me listen Where the breezes are blowing, Where the streams are rushing, Where the flowers are blooming. Let me pick [the flowers] And adorn my brown curls beautifully, Oh sweet mother, With vivid green. And if boys come along In a wild horde, I will run, I will hurry, I will not stand still; Behind the hedges I will hide myself [here]3 Until they have Noisily passed by. But if a good lad Brings flowers That are just what I need For my wreath, What shall I do? May I, nodding And gazing at him in a friendly manner, Oh sweet mother, Rest at his side?
View original text (without footnotes)
Translated titles:
O süße Mutter = Oh sweet mother
O süsse Mutter, ich kann nicht spinnen = Oh sweet mother, I cannot spin
Die Spinnerin = The spinning girl
1 Wolf: "And"
2 Wolf: "a little bird"
3 Reinecke: "quietly"
Translated titles:
O süße Mutter = Oh sweet mother
O süsse Mutter, ich kann nicht spinnen = Oh sweet mother, I cannot spin
Die Spinnerin = The spinning girl
1 Wolf: "And"
2 Wolf: "a little bird"
3 Reinecke: "quietly"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2008 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 Friedrich Rückert (1788 - 1866), no title, appears in Lyrische Gedichte, in 3. Liebesfrühling, in 1. Erster Strauß. Erwacht, no. 72
This text was added to the website: 2008-03-26
Line count: 45
Word count: 177