Hugo Wolf (March 13, 1860 – February 22, 1903) was an Austrian composer of … Read Full Bio ↴Hugo Wolf (March 13, 1860 – February 22, 1903) was an Austrian composer of Slovene origin, particularly noted for his art songs, or Lieder. He brought to this form a concentrated expressive intensity which was unique in late Romantic music, somewhat related to that of the Second Viennese School in concision but utterly unrelated in technique.

Though he had several bursts of extraordinary productivity, particularly in 1888 and 1889, depression frequently interrupted his creative periods, and his last composition was written in 1898, before he died of syphilis.

Ach des Knaben Augen from Spanisches Liederbuch
Hugo Wolf Lyrics

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HUGO WOLF (1860-1903)

(Text: Lopez de Ubeda, übersetzt von Paul Heyse)

cch, des Knaben cugen

cch, des Knaben cugen sind
Mir so schön und klar erschienen,

Und ein Etwas strahlt aus ihnen,
Das mein ganzes Herz gewinnt.
Blickt' er doch mit diesen süssen
cugen nach den meinen hin!
Säh er dann sein Bild darin,
Würd' er wohl mich liebend grüssen.
Und so geb' ich ganz mich hin,
Seinen cugen nur zu dienen,

Denn ein Etwas strahlt aus ihnen,
Das mein ganzes Herz gewinnt.

Overall Meaning

In Hugo Wolf's song "Ach des Knaben Augen" from Spanisches Liederbuch, the singer expresses their fascination and attraction towards the eyes of a young boy. The lyrics describe the boy's eyes as beautiful and clear, and there is something about them that captivates the singer's heart. The singer yearns for the boy to look into their own eyes, believing that if he sees his reflection in them, he would greet them with love.

This longing for the boy's affection is so strong that the singer is willing to give themselves completely to serve and please him, simply to bask in the radiance that emanates from his eyes. The lyrics emphasize the power and allure of the boy's eyes, suggesting that they hold an intangible quality that deeply affects the singer's emotions and desires.

The repetition of the phrase "Ach des Knaben Augen" throughout the song further emphasizes the singer's infatuation and the importance they place on the boy's eyes. The simple and repetitive nature of the lyrics adds to the intensity of the emotions conveyed.

Overall, these lyrics depict a person who is completely smitten by the beauty and allure of a young boy's eyes. The eyes are portrayed as possessing a certain charm and power that has captured the singer's heart, driving their desire to serve and be loved by the boy.

Line by Line Meaning

cch, des Knaben cugen sind
Oh, the boy's eyes are

Mir so schön und klar erschienen
Appearing so beautiful and clear to me

Und ein Etwas strahlt aus ihnen
And something radiates from them

Das mein ganzes Herz gewinnt
That wins over my whole heart

Blickt' er doch mit diesen süssen cugen
If only he would look with those sweet eyes

Nach den meinen hin!
Towards mine!

Säh er dann sein Bild darin
If he saw his image in them

Würd' er wohl mich liebend grüssen
He would surely greet me lovingly

Und so geb' ich ganz mich hin
And so I give myself completely

Seinen cugen nur zu dienen
To serve only his eyes

Denn ein Etwas strahlt aus ihnen
Because something radiates from them