Wiegenlied
Cradle Song

Wiegenlied is a beautiful and somewhat familiar German song. Once known as Mozart's Cradle Song or Lullaby, it is offered here in four keys.

Download it with the song lyrics FREE for your vocal students, in German.  

There is also a PDF sheet with English translation at the bottom of the page, as well as a lettered-note arrangement for beginners!

The vocal line for Wiegenlied

Please scroll down the page for the free lead sheets.

Jane Austen movies have some of the best English and Irish songs, and it was in the Jane Austen movie (Emma (A&E, 1997 with Kate Beckinsale) that I first heard this charming song.

The beautiful Jane Fairfax sang just one verse of Wiegenlied, while Emma and Frank Churchill whispered and flirted.

The German lyrics are tricky - but fun

There is no doubt that the German lyrics of the Cradle Song are a mouthful, -- but don't shy away from giving it to your beginning singers because of that. At some point they need to be introduced to German, and ALL German songs are difficult, initially, for non-German speakers!

As far as the German goes, let them learn verse 1 first, and later, when they are more comfortable singing in Deutsch, ask if they'd like verse 2 or 3.  

What I like to do with this song is have young students learn very well just one short German phrase each lesson (while "faking" the rest of the verse singing along with me) until the entire first verse is learned.  

One of the English translations will become verse two in a recital performance - I let my student decide which of the song lyrics they prefer to sing.

The musical patterns of this pretty song are fairly simple to learn - there is lots of repetition.  

One difficult spot in the melody

Only one spot poses a real challenge, and that is right at the end of each verse, with the twisty chromatic descending phrase.  But it is a GOOD challenge - a learning opportunity for your musical scholars!

Just the same, based on the difficulties of a couple of my own non-piano students with that last phrase, I've conjured up an easy lettered-note version in 3/4 time instead of 6/8.  Here it is:

Please scroll down the page for the note-reader sheet download.

And here is the piano accompaniment arrangement, almost exactly like the version played charmingly by Jane Fairfax in Emma (A&E, 1997):

THIS PIANO-VOCAL VERSION IS FOR SALE, in the keys of D, Eb, F, and G

You can purchase all four as a package for only $4.75 USD.  You may make unlimited copies, for your students only!

Wiegenlied Collection in all 4 Keys, $4.75:

For younger singers, "Schlafe, mein Prinzchen" can work nicely as a recital piece with one verse sung in German, then one verse in English.

A young student of mine once sang Wiegenlied at our spring concert, changing and mixing the words of several translations to suit herself.

"Sleep, little darling, now sleep
Mother her vigil doth keep
All now is quiet and still
Hushed are the vale and the hill
All now in slumber doth lie
Bright are the stars in the sky
Angels a guard o'er thee keep
Sleep, little darling, now sleep.
Oh, sleep, oh sleep..."

...were her words.

Though this song was attributed to Mozart for years, the actual composer is unknown, though some affirm it was Bernard Flies. Here is what a fellow named Malcolm Wilson says:

"For a long time Wiegenlied (Cradle Song) was attributed to Mozart (K350 - 1780). However it is now believed to be by Bernhard Flies from the theatre play 'Esther' written by Friedrich Wilhelm Gotter (17461797)."

Here are some different English translations... the first 2 examples fit the notes best, but the 2 verses on the right side of the page are very cute: 

Scroll down the page for the lyrics/translation download.

Buy Wiegenlied now, $4.75:

Why Buy From Me?

So why should you buy The Cradle Song from me, aside from the fact that music stores charge $3.95 or more for each copy (not counting postage or sales tax!), while I am only charging $4.75 for unlimited copies of MULTIPLE KEYS?

* It is available immediately as a digital download onto your computer.

* You don't have to download any new software into your computer in order to download this PDF. I don't know about you, but I detest clogging up my computer with yet another program I didn't know I needed. You just need a version of Adobe Acrobat or another PDF reader, which all computers come with. If you DON'T have Adobe Acrobat or a similar program, then you couldn't download any of my other PDFs either.

* You can print Wiegenlied on any kind of paper you want, and thus avoid the glare of shiny pages (so irritating for accompanists!). My shiny store-bought music always reflects my piano light, and I find myself ducking and weaving to play off of it.

*Write and make notes all over these copies, in red and other colors, without feeling you are spoiling your music for posterity. I hate messing up my music books, but learning the piece is always the first priority. These printouts will make great working copies.

* I give you permission to make unlimited copies legally (for your students only, please!).  Do I speak tongue-in-cheek? Not at all -- as music teachers, as music students, you know there are times when you need music RIGHT NOW and your only recourse is to make a copy of copyrighted music...or do without. (People do what they have to do, but there are consequences... Cheating...just a little...is hard on one's character. I believe this is one of the keys of political corruption, one little compromise after another. Not only that, but music teachers teach by example. What are your students learning from you about the value of the work of composers, arrangers, and publishers? Of the value of musicians in general?)

* Paypal, the payment system I use, is a secure and recognized payment system. You can pay by credit or debit card, or your bank account. E-Junkie delivers the PDF document, working as a partner with PayPal...your purchase is guaranteed. 

* Problems downloading?  Contact me here at the website & I'll take care of you.

Buy Wiegenlied now, $4.75:

The links to the free lead sheets:

Download free vocal music in key of D 

Download Cradle Song vocal line in key of Eb

Download printable vocal Lullaby in key of F

Download free vocal music in key of G

Download Cradle Song melody made easy with letters in the noteheads for young students

Download English translations of "Schlafe, mein Prinzchen" 

Dianna:
Your website is a light in the darkness. THANK YOU for all you do in helping to spread the love of music. It matters!

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About the Author

Dana Thynes

Hi, I'm Dana!  (Say that like "Anna".)  I'm the owner of Music-for-Music-Teachers.com, and a newer site, SingTheBibleStory.com.

Like some of you, I've been playing the piano since early childhood, and have added a few other instruments along the way, plus an interest in arranging and composing music.

You can find out more about me and the reason for this website at my About Me page.