Gitanjali

This is one of a series of posts about books used as source material for Art Song Central.

Collection Title: Gitanjali (Song-offerings)
Music: John Alden Carpenter (1876-1951)
Text: Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941)
Copyright: 1914 by G. Schirmer

Contents:

  1. When I bring to you colour’d toys
  2. On the day when death will knock at thy door
  3. The Sleep that flits on Baby’s Eyes
  4. I am like a Remnant of a Cloud of Autumn
  5. On the Seashore of Endless Worlds
  6. Light, My Light

Notes:
The original sheet music had a decorative border around the music which has been removed for presentation here. They can be seen in a complete version available at Google Books.

Each poem was printed separately before its setting. Additionally, there were two poems in the published sheet music that were not set to music; one at the beginning, and one at the end. They are presented here in order:

CREDO

I believe in the deep blue sky and the smiling water.

I can see through the clouds of the sky and I am not afraid of the waves of the sea.

I believe in the living friendship given by flowers and trees;–outwardly they die, but in the heart they live forever.

Little paths through green woods I love, and the sound of leaves on the ground, or of a nut falling, or even of a breaking twig.

I believe that the days to come already feel the wonder of the days that have passed, and will permit that wonder to endure and increase.

I believe in and love my belief in, and my love for, all of these things; and most of all I believe in and love The Source of my belief and of my love.

13.

The song that I came to sing remains unsung to this day. I have spent my days in stringing and unstringing my instrument.

The time has not come true, the words have not been rightly set; only there is the agony of wishing in my heart.