Cadman – At Dawning

by: David - April 27th, 2009   Filed under: English, High, Low, Medium, Songs, Wedding Add Comment

Song Information

Title: At Dawning (I Love You)

Music: Charles Wakefield Cadman (1881-1946)

Text: Nelle Richmond Eberhart (1871-1944)

Sheet Music

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Song Text

When the dawn flames in the sky,
I love you;
When the birdlings wake and cry,
I love you;
When the swaying blades of corn
Whisper soft at breaking morn
Love anew to me is born,
I love you.

Dawn and dew proclaim my dream,
I love you;
Chant the birds one thrilling theme,
I love you;
All the sounds of morning meet,
Break in yearning at your feet,
Come and answer, come, my sweet,
I love you.

Resources

d’Hardelot – Because

by: David - April 16th, 2009   Filed under: English, French, High, Low, Medium, Songs, Wedding Add Comment

Song Information

Title: Because (Lorsque j’entends ton pas)

Music: Guy d’Hardelot (1858-1936) (pseudonym for Helen Rhodes)

Text:

Sheet Music

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Song Text

French:

Lorsque j’entends ton pas, comme en un rêve
Le fol espoir de te revoir s’élève,
Et vainement vers toi je tends les bras,
Quand j’entends ton pas.

Et quand divinement ta voix m’enchaîne,
Je vois s’évanouir toute ma peine,
Et tout ton être chante, et vibre en moi,
Quand j’entends ta voix.

Et puis tu viens à moi et je frissonne,
Tu prends ma main, et tout mon coeur se donne
A toi en un baiser brûlant d’émoi,
Car tu viens à moi!

English:

Because, you come to me, with naught save love,
and hold my hand and lift mine eyes above,
a wider world of hope and joy I see,
because you come to me!

Because you speak to me in accent sweet,
I find the roses waking round my feet,
and I am led through tears and joy to thee,
because you speak to me!

Because God made thee mine, I’ll cherish thee,
through light and darkness through all time to be,
and pray His love may make our love divine,
because God made thee mine!

Resources

  • Recmusic.org has the English text.

Burleigh – O Perfect Love

by: David - May 24th, 2008   Filed under: English, High, Low, Medium, Songs, Wedding Add Comment

Song Information

Title: O Perfect Love (Wedding Song)

Music: Harry Thacker Burleigh (1866-1949)

Text: Dorothy Frances Blomfield (1858-1932)

Sheet Music

Free at Art Song Central:

  • PDF: O Perfect Love
    • Key: F Major
    • Range: B♭3 – D5 (F5)
    • note: this is a minimally edited transposition of the version below from Project Gutenberg.

Elsewhere on the Internet:

  • Transcribed at Project Gutenberg
    • Key: PDF file available in A♭ Major
    • Range: D4 – F5 (A♭5)
    • Finale .mus file available to edit or transpose

Audio Files

Mp3:

  • Available at Project Gutenberg. (However, it is merely an audio recording of the midi file.)

MIDI:

Song Text

O perfect Love, all human thought transcending,
lowly we kneel in prayer before thy throne,
that theirs may be the love which knows no ending,
whom thou forevermore dost join in one.

O perfect Life, be thou their full assurance,
of tender charity and steadfast faith,
of patient hope and quiet, brave endurance,
with childlike trust that fears nor pain nor death.

Grant them the joy which brightens earthly sorrow;
grant them the peace which calms all earthly strife,
and to life’s day the glorious unknown morrow
that dawns upon eternal love and life.

Resources

  • Seiyaku.com has the story of the hymn text that served as the lyric for this song.

De Koven – Oh Promise Me

by: David - May 13th, 2008   Filed under: English, High, Medium, Songs, Wedding Add Comment

Song Information

Title: Oh Promise Me (from “Robin Hood”)

Music: Reginald de Koven (1859-1920)

Text: Clement Scott (1841-1904)

Sheet Music

Note: Much has been made of the similarity between this song and Gastaldon’s Musica Proibita. However, beyond the opening melodic notes and sentimental spirit, the two songs share little in common.
Free at Art Song Central (PDF files):

Elsewhere on the Internet:

  • PDF available at the Internet Archive: Oh Promise Me
    • Key: A♭ Major
    • Range: E♭4 – F5 (optional A♭5)
    • Also available in djvu format, and as images via FTP.
  • PDF available at USOpera.com: Oh Promise Me
    • Key: G Major
    • Range: D4 – E5 (optional G5)
    • Transcribed with Finale.

Audio Files

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Song Text

Oh promise me that some day you and I
will take our love together to some sky,
Where we can be alone and faith renew,
and find the hollows where the flowers grew,
those first sweet violets of early spring
Which come in whispers, thrill us both, and sing
of love unspeakable that is to be;
Oh promise me, Oh promise me!

Oh promise me that you will take my hand,
the most unworthy in this lonely land,
and let me sit beside you, in your eyes
Seeing the vision of our paradise,
Hearing God’s message while the organ rolls,
its mighty music to our very souls,
no love less perfect than a life with thee;
Oh promise me, oh promise me!

Resources

  • Parlorsongs.com has more information about Oh Promise Me and other “enduring” hit songs from the turn of the century. Click on the sheet music for a link to a scorch version (unprintable) of this song.

Beethoven – Ich liebe Dich (Zärtliche Liebe)

by: David - November 11th, 2007   Filed under: German, IPA, Low, Medium, Songs, Wedding Add Comment

Song Information

Title: Ich liebe Dich (Zärtliche Liebe)

Music: Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)

Text: Karl Friedrich Wilhelm Herrosee (1764-1821)

Sheet Music

Free at Art Song Central:

Elsewhere on the Internet:

  • Transcribed at the Choral Public Domain Library
    • Key: PDF files available in F Major and G Major
    • Range: C4 – E♭5 and D4 – F5
    • Finale 2001 file available to edit or transpose

Audio Files

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Song Text

Text:

Ich liebe dich, so wie du mich,
Am Abend und am Morgen,
Noch war kein Tag, wo du und ich
Nicht teilten unsre Sorgen.

Auch waren sie für dich und mich
Geteilt leicht zu ertragen;
Du tröstetest im Kummer mich,
Ich weint in deine Klagen.

Drum Gottes Segen über dir,
Du, meines Lebens Freude.
Gott schütze dich, erhalt dich mir,
Schütz und erhalt uns beide.

IPA Transcription:

IPA for Ich liebe dich, courtesy of IPANow! transcription software.

Resources

Fauré – Notre Amour

by: David - November 10th, 2007   Filed under: French, High, Songs, Wedding Add Comment

Song Information

Title: Notre Amour

Music: Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924)

Text: Paul-Armand Silvestre (1837-1901)

Sheet Music

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Song Text

Notre amour est chose légère
Comme les parfums que le vent
Prend aux cimes de la fougère
Pour qu’on les respire en rêvant.
Notre amour est chose légère!

Notre amour est chose charmante,
Comme les chansons du matin
Où nul regret ne se lamente,
Où vibre un espoir incertain.
Notre amour est chose charmante!

Notre amour est chose sacrée
Comme les mystères des bois
Où tressaille une âme ignorée,
Où les silences ont des voix.
Notre amour est chose sacrée!

Notre amour est chose infinie,
Comme les chemins des couchants
Où la mer, aux cieux réunie,
S’endort sous les soleils penchants.

Notre amour est chose éternelle
Comme tout ce qu’un dieu vainqueur
A touché du feu de son aile,
Comme tout ce qui vient du coeur,
Notre amour est chose éternelle!

Resources

Vaughan Williams – The Call

by: David - August 30th, 2007   Filed under: English, Medium, Songs, Wedding Add Comment

Song Information

Title: The Call (from Five Mystical Songs)

Music: Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)

Text: George Herbert (1593-1633)

Sheet Music

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Song Text

Come, my Way, my Truth, my Life:
Such a Way, as gives us breath:
Such a Truth, as ends all strife:
Such a Life, as killeth death.

Come, My Light, my Feast, my Strength:
Such a Light, as shows a feast:
Such a Feast, as mends in length:
Such a Strength, as makes his guest.

Come, my Joy, my Love, my Heart:
Such a Joy, as none can move:
Such a Love, as none can part:
Such a Heart, as joys in love.

Resources

Franz – Widmung

by: David - July 21st, 2007   Filed under: German, Low, Medium, Songs, Wedding 1 Comment

Song Information

Title: Widmung

Music: Robert Franz (1815-1892)

Text: Wolfgang Müller von Königswinter (1816-1873)

Sheet Music

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Song Text

O danke nicht für diese Lieder,
Mir ziemt es dankbar dir zu sein;
Du gabst sie mir, ich gebe wieder,
Was jetzt und einst und ewig dein.

Dein sind sie alle ja gewesen;
Aus deiner lieben Augen Licht
Hab ich sie treulich abgelesen:
Kennst du die eignen Lieder nicht?

Resources

Recmusic.org has texts and translations.

Jacobs-Bond – I Love You Truly

by: David - July 11th, 2007   Filed under: English, High, Low, Medium, Songs, Wedding 1 Comment

Song Information

Title: I Love You Truly

Composer: Carrie Jacobs-Bond (1862-1946)

Author: Carrie Jacobs-Bond (1862-1946)

Sheet Music

Free at Art Song Central:

Elsewhere on the Internet:

  • Parlorsongs.com has a Scorch version here
    • If you have Scorch installed on your computer, you can transpose at will, and see the music as it plays.
    • Parlorsongs.com has disabled printing for this score.

Audio Files

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Song Text

I love you truly, truly, dear.
Life with its sorrow, life with its tear,
Fades into dreams when I feel you are near,
For I love you truly, truly, dear.

Ah! love, ’tis something to feel your kind hand,
Ah! yes, ’tis something by your side to stand;
Gond is the sorrow, Gone doubt and fear,
For you love me truly, truly, dear.

Resources

Schumann – Widmung

by: David - June 25th, 2007   Filed under: German, High, IPA, Low, Medium, Songs, Wedding 1 Comment

Song Information

Title: Widmung

Composer: Robert Schumann (1810-1856)

Author: Friedrich Rückert (1788–1866)

Sheet Music

Free at Art Song Central:

Elsewhere on the Internet:

  • Mutopia has Widmung transcribed in the original key.
    • Key: A♭ Major (original)
    • Range: B3 – G♭5
    • Lilypond source file also available to edit or transpose.

Audio Files

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Song Text

Text:

Du meine Seele, du mein Herz,
Du meine Wonn’, O du mein Schmerz,
Du meine Welt, in der ich lebe,
Mein Himmel du, darein ich schwebe,
O du mein Grab, in das hinab
Ich ewig meinen Kummer gab.

Du bist die Ruh, du bist der Frieden,
Du bist vom Himmel mir beschieden.
Daß du mich liebst, macht mich mir wert,
Dein Blick hat mich vor mir verklärt,
Du hebst mich liebend über mich,
Mein guter Geist, mein beßres Ich!

IPA Transcription:

IPA for Widmung, courtesy of IPANow! transcription software.

Resources