H233
Schlafe du, schlafe du süß
“Schlafe du, schlafe du süß” (“Sleep, sleep sweetly”) is one of 13 accompanied duets for soprano and alto by Fanny Hensel. This work was written in 1829 and set to text by Mendelssohn family friend Johann Gustav Droysen. From Todd’s biography Fanny Hensel: The Other Mendelssohn:
Fanny composed it […] just after Felix had departed for England and, most unusual for her autographs, added a detailed note about a traveler lulled to sleep on the ocean by the gentle action of the waves. While he dreams, two mermaids appear and sing the lullaby-like duet, into which Fanny embedded allusions to Felix’s own music. […] In Fanny’s duet, the traveler is of course Felix; the two mermaids (soprano and alto), Rebecka* and Fanny.
*Rebecka Dirichlet was Fanny and Felix’s younger sister, a talented amateur singer.
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HenselPushers edition notes:
This work appears in MA Ms. 22/A,2.
Thank you Susanne Wosnitzka for reviewing the text! Please consider donating to her through her website.
Text:
Schlafe du, schlafe du süß.
Welle wechselt kleine Welle,
Schaumgegürtet; augenhelle
Tauchen wir auf.
Wiegen dich und grüßen dich,
Arm und Arm umschließen dich.
Schlafe du, schlafe du süß.Küssen deine Augen helle
Weite Welle, kleine Welle
Klingende See!
Plaudern klug dir Weises zu
Flüstern Liebes leise zu
Schlafe du, schlafe du süß.Welle wechselt, lauter, breiter,
Fahre Schifflein, fahre weiter
Grünes Gestad’.
Weiße Tücher winken dir,
Tränen im Auge blinken dir.
Schlafe du, schlafe du süß.