The love-struck sheperdess Scapine | Gladly in silent melancholy

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by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832)

Translation © by Lawrence Snyder

Gern in stillen Melancholien

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG FRE

Gern in stillen Melancholien
Wandl' ich an dem Wasserfall,
Und in süssen Melodien
Locket mich die Nachtigall.

Doch hör' ich auf Schalmeien
Den Schäfer nur blasen!
Gleich möcht' ich mit zum Reihen
Und tanzen und rasen,
Und toller und toller
Wird's immer mit mir.

Seh ich eine Nase,
Möcht' ich sie zupfen;
Seh ich Perücken,
Möcht' ich sie rupfen;
Seh ich einen Rücken,
Möcht' ich ihn patschen;
Seh ich eine Wange,
Möcht' ich sie klatschen.

Hör ich Schalmeien,
Lauf' ich zum Reihen,
Toller und toller
Wird's immer mit mir.

Nur in stillen Melancholien
Wandl' ich an dem Wasserfall,
Und in süßen Melodien
Locket mich die Nachtigall.

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Text Authorship:

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), no title, appears in Scherz, List und Rache, Act 2 [author's text not yet checked 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 Carl Loewe (1796 - 1869), "Die verliebte Schäferin Scapine", op. 9, Heft 9 no. 3 (1835) [sung text checked 1 time]
by Gustav Thudichum (1866 - 1944), "Gern in stillen Melancholien", op. 6 (Vier Gesänge für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 3, published 1899 [ voice and piano ], München, Schmid Nachf. [sung text not yet checked]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

ENG English (Lawrence Snyder) , "The love-struck sheperdess Scapine", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Lawrence Snyder

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 26
Word count: 106

The love‑struck sheperdess Scapine

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

Gladly in silent melancholy
I wander to the waterfall,
And with sweet melodies
The nightingale entrances me.

Then I hear the ramhorn
that the shepherd blows.
Gladly would I go with him to the Roundelay
And dance and whirl
And ever wilder and crazier
Do I become.

If I see a nose
I like to pull it.
If I see a periwig,
I like to pluck it.
If I see a back,
I like to thwack it,
If I see a cheek,
I like to slap it.

When I hear the Ramhorn
I whirl in the dance,
Wilder and madder
Is it ever with me.

But in silent melancholy
I wander to the waterfall
And with sweet melodies
The nightingale entrances me.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Lawrence Snyder, (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 Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), no title, appears in Scherz, List und Rache, Act 2
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 26
Word count: 122