Der Leiermann

Drüben hinterm Dorfe
Steht ein Leiermann
Und mit starren Fingern
Dreht er, was er kann.

Barfuß auf dem Eise
[Schwankt]1 er hin und her
Und sein kleiner Teller
Bleibt ihm immer leer.

Keiner mag ihn hören,
Keiner sieht ihn an,
Und die Hunde [brummen]2
Um den alten Mann.

Und er läßt es gehen
Alles, wie es will,
Dreht und seine Leier
Steht ihm nimmer still.

Wunderlicher Alter, 
Soll ich mit dir geh'n?
Willst zu meinen Liedern
Deine Leier dreh'n?

by Wilhelm Müller (1794-1827) , "Der Leiermann", from Gedichte aus den hinterlassenen Papieren eines reisenden Waldhornisten 2, in Die Winterreise, no. 24

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 Banck (1809-1889) , "Der Leiermann", 1838/9.
by Reiner Bredemeyer (1929-1995) , "Der Leiermann", 1984, first performed 1985 [baritone, horn, and piano], from Die Winterreise, no. 24, VEB Deutscher Verlag
by Wilhelm Kienzl (1857-1941) , "Der Leiermann", published 1904.
by Franz Peter Schubert (1797-1828) , "Der Leiermann", op. 89 no. 24, D. 911 no. 24 (1827), from Winterreise, no. 24.
    Listen to this song with the Artsconverge Player

ENG English (Arthur Rishi)
DUT Dutch (Jelle Leistra)
SPA Spanish (unknown or anonymous translator)
DUT Dutch [singable] (Lau Kanen)
ITA Italian (Amelia Maria Imbarrato)
ENG English [singable] (Walter A. Aue)
FRE French (Pierre Mathé)

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

Gentle Reminder

This project is not funded. If you found the information here useful, please consider making a donation. Your gift is greatly appreciated!      - Emily I also have a wishlist at Amazon.ca.

The hurdy‑gurdy‑man

There, behind the village, 
stands a hurdy-gurdy-man,
And with numb fingers 
he plays the best he can.

Barefoot on the ice, 
he staggers back and forth,
And his little plate 
remains ever empty.

No one wants to hear him, 
no one looks at him,
And the hounds snarl 
at the old man.

And he lets it all go by, 
everything as it will,
He plays, and his hurdy-gurdy
is never still.

Strange old man, 
shall I go with you?
Will you play your hurdy-gurdy 
to my songs?

Translation from German to English copyright © by Arthur Rishi (arishi (AT) hbs (DOT) edu), (re)printed on this website with kind permission. Please contact the copyright-holder when requesting permission to reprint.

a text in German by Wilhelm Müller (1794-1827) , "Der Leiermann", from Gedichte aus den hinterlassenen Papieren eines reisenden Waldhornisten 2, in Die Winterreise, no. 24 DUT ITA FRE SPA

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.