The first song of this cycle.
This song describes the parts of the mill. When I sing of this song I try make every verse another character of what this young miller is singing. As a way to keep this strophic song interesting to my audience. I certainly do not like listening to to the same song five times in a row so why should my audience have to?
The first verse:
"Das Wandern ist des Müllers Lust, Das Wandern!
(To travel is a miller's joy)
"Das muss ein schlechter Müller sein, Dem niemals field das Wandern ein"
(That must a poor Miller be, who never thought of travelling)
This verse is one of my favorite verses of this song becuase it's very simple and straight forward and true.
It is the first verse that speaks on what this miller is doing and what his occupation is about. He finds a mill and once the season is over he travels to another mill. This is the miller's job.
What a bad(and poor) miller must be if they don't travel.
When I sing this I imagine a young man walking being jolly. My voice is the young miller's pep in his step.
Verse two:
'Vom Wasser haben wir's gelernt, Vom Wasser!"
(From water have we-it learned, from water! )
"Das hat nicht Rast bei Tag und Nacht,
Ist stets auf Wanderschaft bedacht,
Das Wasser."
( It has not rest by day and night, is always focused on traveling, the water.)
I sing this verse as legato as I can to imitate a river.
Verse three
"Das seh'n wir auch den Rädern ab,
Den Rädern!"
( We can also see this in the wheels,
the wheels! )
"Die gar nicht gerne stille steh'n,
Die sich mein Tag nicht müde dreh'n,
Die Räder."
( Which at-all not gladly stand still, which do not make themselves tired by turning day and night)
I believe that Wilhelm is referring back to the water which also does not sit still and tire and continues to move forward.
I focus singing slightly stacato.
Verse four:
"Die Steine selbst, so schwer sie sind,
Die Steine!"
( The stones themselves, so heavy they are, the stones! )
"Sie tanzen mit den muntern Reih'n,
Und wollen gar noch schneller sein,
Die Steine"
( They dance together the cheerful ring-dance, and want only still faster to-go)
I sing heavier and emphasize the down beat to resemble the heavy stones.
Verse five:
This verse like the first is very important.
To me it has the most to say. This verse starts similar to the first speaking on how the traveling and hiking is this miller's joy. The Miller ask his master and mistress to let him leave to another adventure.
This is the the young miller starting his journey, leaving his home for whatever is to come.
" O Wandern, Wandern, meine Lust,
O Wandern!"
(Oh hiking and traveling is my joy)
"Herr Meister und Frau Meisterin,
Lasst mich in Frieden weiterzieh'n,
Und wandern."
(Master and Mistress let me in peace move-on, and travel!)
