Lyr Add: Ein deutsches Kriegslied

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Ein deutsches Kriegslied
From: Wolfgang
Date: 22 Jun 05 - 06:49 AM

Joseph is ost likely Emperor Joseph II of Austria, reigning from 1765 to 1790.

A quick and dirty translation (waiting for improvements):

I'd love to be the Emperor,
would shake the Orient.
The Muslims would have to tremble
Constantinople would be mine.

I'd love to be the Emperor,
Athens and Sparta should become,
like Rome, the queen of the Earth,
the old (times) should be revived (or: what old is will be renewed).

I'd love to be the Emperor,
I'd hire the best of the poets
to sing the deeds of the heroes,
I'd introduce the Golden Age

I'd love to be the Emperor,
but since Joseph pledges his life (? or: during his lifetime will...)
to fulfill my wish
and the wise men are looking forward to that
he may as well be Emperor forever.

Wolfgang

Subject: SONG ORIGINS:
From: chico
Date: 22 Jun 05 - 01:24 AM

Can anyone translate this or provide more meaning? Who is the Joseph mentioned. . . An Austrian or the Biblical Joseph? Is this an Hapsburg attack on prussian aggression?


I would like to be probably the emperor!
The Orient want I to shake up
The Mohomedans would have to tremble
Constantinople would be mine!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Ein deutsches Kriegslied
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 21 Jun 05 - 07:41 PM

K. 539. Melody also at Robokopp:
Ein deutsches kriegslied
This piece was used in the soundtrack of "Amadeus," so it is rather well-known.
? We have many composed pieces in the Mudcat DT; why not this one as well?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Ein deutsches Kriegslied
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 21 Jun 05 - 05:19 PM

Mozart composed some songs that are still sung. This one I don't know. BTW, Chico calls it a 'war song'. If you read it closely, it is not, in spite of the rather warlike first verse. It is, rather, about being emperor - about the power to make war, but also the power to do other things. The mention of Constantinople is hardly surprising as the German emperors (whose line ended only in 1806) saw themselves as the successors of the Roman emperors.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Ein deutsches Kriegslied
From: chico
Date: 20 Jun 05 - 07:52 AM

I think you are being far too harsh on your definition of folk. By my reckoning it is relevant, because the passage of time as infused it into the folk tradition. True it was written by known people, as were many of the shakespeare songs I posted. Are those not allowed?

Many of the songs I have posted here and others who have posted here have been "Literature". Literature would include poetry/verse by Ben Johnson (Caveat for Cutpurses), Marlowe (Come live with me and be my love), etc. Are those not part of what is generally considered 'folk'? I dont get it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Ein deutsches Kriegslied
From: Wolfgang
Date: 20 Jun 05 - 07:50 AM

I disagree, Wilfried (only with your last line, not with the first two). I have added here Irish songs, English songs, Scottish songs, even one Gaelic I think and I wouldn't like to be told to leave additions to the respective 'natives'.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Ein deutsches Kriegslied
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 20 Jun 05 - 07:09 AM

This is an artful satire, not a folk song, but German literature.
It's utterly on the wrong place here.
Better leave the addition of German songs to the Germans.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Ein deutsches Kriegslied
From: chico
Date: 20 Jun 05 - 05:30 AM

Warum nicht?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Ein deutsches Kriegslied
From: Lanfranc
Date: 20 Jun 05 - 05:19 AM

Warum?

Alan

Subject: Lyr Add: Ein deutsches Kriegslied
From: chico
Date: 20 Jun 05 - 05:07 AM

Advised to listen to the midi available online perso.wanadoo.fr/emmanuel.baud/html/mozart.htm
small letters are individual notes
G/B means G Major with B for lowest note (Bass)
* *

  (g a b c, low g e, c g e c e g g b b c)
  
        C                               C/G G7  C    (A° D7 A° D7) (riff c b a g f#)
  Ich möchte wohl der Kaiser sein! (Der Kaiser Sein)
       D7                   G      (A° D7 A° D7)
  Den Orient wollt ich erschüttern;
            D7             G
  Die Muselmänner müssten zittern,
                             G/B                      G/D     7           
  Konstantinopel wäre mein! Konstantinopel wäre mein! Konstantinopel wäre mein!
        C                               C/G G7  C   
  Ich möchte wohl der Kaiser sein! (Der Kaiser Sein)
  
  INTERLUDE
  (c d e f f f, f e d c c c, c b a g g g g g b c a g)
  (c d e f f f, f e d c c c, c b a g g b b c)
  
  Ich möchte wohl der Kaiser sein!
  Athen und Sparta sollten werden
  Wie Rom die Königin der Erden,
  Das Alte sollte sich erneu'n!
  Ich möchte wohl der Kaiser sein!
  
  Ich möchte wohl der Kaiser sein!
  Die besten Dichter wollt ich dingen,
  Der Helden Taten zu besingen,
  Die goldnen Zeiten führt ich ein!
  Ich möchte wohl der Kaiser sein!
  
  Ich möchte wohl der Kaiser sein!
  Weil aber Joseph meinen Willen
  Bei seinem Leben will erfüllen,
  Und sich darauf die Weisen freu'n,
  So mag er immer Kaiser sein!
   
  
  [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, 1756-1791 Johann Wilhelm Ludwig Gleim, 1788]