by Eduard Mörike (1804 - 1875)
Translation Singable translation by Mabel Dunning
Wenn meine Mutter hexen könnt
Language: German (Deutsch)
Wenn meine Mutter hexen könnt, Da müßt sie mit dem Regiment, Nach Frankreich, überall mit hin, Und wär die Marketenderin. Im Lager, wohl um Mitternacht, Wenn Niemand auf ist als die Wacht, Und Alles schnarchet, Roß und Mann, Vor meiner Trommel [säß']1 ich dann: Die Trommel müßt' eine Schüssel sein, Ein warmes Sauerkraut darein, Die Schlegel Messer und Gabel, Eine lange Wurst mein [Sabel]2, Mein Tschako wär' ein Humpen gut, Den [füll']3 ich mit Burgunderblut. Und weil es mir an Lichte fehlt, Da scheint der Mond in mein Gezelt; Scheint er auch auf [Franzö'sch]4 herein, Mir fällt doch meine Liebste ein: Ach weh! Jetzt hat der Spaß ein End! - Wenn [nur]5 meine Mutter hexen könnt!
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)1 Riesenfeld: "sass"
2 Riesenfeld: "Säbel"
3 Riesenfeld: "füllt"
4 Riesenfeld: "Französisch"
5 omitted by Riesenfeld
Text Authorship:
- by Eduard Mörike (1804 - 1875), "Der Tambour" [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 Gus Anton (b. 1938), "Der Tambour", published 1987 [ men's chorus a cappella ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Hugo Distler (1908 - 1942), "Der Tambour", op. 19 (Mörike-Chorliederbuch), Heft 3 no. 1 (1939) [ chorus ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hugo Riesenfeld (1879 - 1939), "Der Tambour" [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by August Scharrer (1866 - 1936), "Der Tambour", op. 2 (Sechs Lieder) no. 5, published 1894 [ medium voice and piano ], Leipzig, Breitkopf & Härtel [sung text not yet checked]
- by Iwan Schönebaum (1880 - 1967), "Der Tambour", op. 47 no. 1, published 1906-1913 [ men's chorus a cappella ], Leipzig, Kahnt Nachfolger [sung text not yet checked]
- by Heinrich Triest (1808 - 1885), "Der kleine Tambour", op. 29 (Vier Gesänge für 1. Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 3, published 1875 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Simon [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hugo Wolf (1860 - 1903), "Der Tambour", from Mörike-Lieder, no. 5 [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Malcolm Wren) , "The drummer boy", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English [singable] (Mabel Dunning)
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Le tambour", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Stéphane Goldet) (Pierre de Rosamel) , "Le tambour", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , "Il Tamburino", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 121
If mother mine a witch could be
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
If mother mine a witch could be Then would she give her aid to me As sutler with the regiment She'd go to France with good intent. At midnight, when the camp's asleep And no one is around to peep And all are snoring man and beast, Upon my drum I'd spread a feast. My drum would be a plate of tin, With a fine warm sauerkraut therein, My sword a sausage, long and thick, While for knife and fork my drumsticks. My cap would be a bumper new, Filled high with beer of goodly brew And so that I might plainly see The moon would give her light for me. And her light would make visions clear And bring my absent sweetheart near, Alas! That such a dream must end. If mother mine a witch could be.
About the headline (FAQ)
From the Riesenfeld manuscriptText Authorship:
- Singable translation by Mabel Dunning [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Eduard Mörike (1804 - 1875), "Der Tambour"
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2011-07-18
Line count: 20
Word count: 138