Dream of spring
(Poet's title: Frühlingstraum)
Set by Schubert:
D 911/11
[February 1827]
Part of Winterreise, D 911
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 malte 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 Wonne 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 mein Liebchen, im Arm?
I dreamt of colourful flowers,
About the way they blossom in May,
I dreamt of green meadows,
About birds singing happily.
And when the cocks crew
My eye was then alert;
Then it was cold and dark,
The ravens on the roof were shrieking.
But on the window panes,
Who painted those leaves there?
Are you actually laughing at the dreamer
Who saw flowers in winter?
I dreamt of reciprocated love,
About a beautiful maiden,
About hearts and about kisses,
About happiness and bliss.
And when the cocks crew,
My heart was then alert;
Now I am sitting here alone
And I am thinking back to that dream.
I close my eyes again,
My heart is beating again with the same warmth.
You leaves on the window, when are you going to turn green?
When am I going to hold my beloved in my arms?
All translations into English that appear on this website, unless otherwise stated, are by Malcolm Wren. You are free to use them on condition that you acknowledge Malcolm Wren as the translator and schubertsong.uk as the source. Unless otherwise stated, the comments and essays that appear after the texts and translations are by Malcolm Wren and are © Copyright.
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Themes and images in this text:
Arms and embracing Birds Cock-crow Cold Crows Dreams Eyes Fields and meadows Flowers Frost and ice Green Journeys Kissing Leaves and foliage May Roofs Spring (season) Waking up Windows Winter
That alarming moment of waking from a vivid dream constitutes a cognitive challenge: we have to realise that we have been dreaming but that we are now awake, we try to recapture or relive the dream (and to hold on to its atmosphere if we were enjoying it) whilst at the same time we are processing the real surroundings that we have woken into. It is only when we have processed all of this that we are fully awake or alert, what Müller here calls ‘wach’. The poet then distinguishes between two versions of this ‘woke’ or ‘watchful’ state. The first is when our physical senses are on the lookout (stanza 2), as we realise the difference between external stimuli and the memories they have stirred up in our dream (e.g. the merry birdsong of a May dawn chorus in contrast with screeching winter ravens). The second, more difficult challenge, is to ask our heart to wake up (stanza 5) and to acknowledge the emotional and spiritual gulf between our fantasies and bleak reality.
Using comparison and contrast to help us become fully conscious of the state of the world and our place in it can be remarkably effective. Müller’s winter traveller has already noted how the frozen landscape around him both echoes his own numbness and, paradoxically, contrasts with the overheated emotions seething within him. In this moment of waking from a dream of springtime the parallels strike him with a particular force. He dreamt of light and warmth in springtime but wakes to the cold and dark of winter (it is interesting that the contrast with winter is not summer but spring). He dreamt of colourful flowers and green meadows but wakes to monochrome ice crystals making the patterns of non-existent leaves on the window panes. He dreamt of birds singing ‘with pleasure’ but wakes to the screeching of desperate ravens.
The contrasts somehow make the insubstantial dream even more intense and real. Waking to a world that is drained of colour and beauty makes the vision of Maytime all the brighter. But can the same be said for the illusory dream of mutual love and fulfilment? He has become newly aware of his loss (or rejection). Although the leaves on the window pane will eventually melt and real green leaves will sprout again on the trees outside, it seems impossible that he will ever now hold his beloved in his arms. His hopes in that regard have to go the way of all dreams.
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Original Spelling and note on the text Frühlingstraum 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 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 Wonne 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 mein Liebchen1, im Arm? 1 Schubert changed Müller's 'Wann halt' ich dich, Liebchen' (When am I going to hold you, my dear?) to 'Wann halt' ich mein Liebchen' (When am I going to hold my beloved?)
Confirmed by Peter Rastl 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.
First published in Urania (see above) as no. 11 of Wanderlieder von Wilhelm Müller. Die Winterreise. In 12 Liedern.
To see an early edition of the text, go to page 221 Erstes Bild 259 here: https://download.digitale-sammlungen.de/BOOKS/download.pl?id=bsb10312443