Stanford (arr.) – My love’s an arbutus

Song Information

Title: My love’s an arbutus

Music: Traditional, arranged by Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924)

Text: Alfred Perceval Graves (1846-1931)

Sheet Music

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Song Text

My love’s an arbutus
By the borders of Lene,
So slender and shapely
In her girdle of green.
And I measure the pleasure
Of her eye’s sapphire sheen
By the blue skies that sparkle
Through the soft branching screen.

But though ruddy the berry
And snowy the flower
That brighten together
The arbutus bower,
Perfuming and blooming
Through sunshine and shower,
Give me her bright lips
And her laugh’s pearly dower.

Alas, fruit and blossom
Shall lie dead on the lea,
And Time’s jealous fingers
Dim your young charms, Machree.
But unranging, unchanging,
You’ll still cling to me,
Like the evergreen leaf
To the arbutus tree.

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Lang – Ghosts

Song Information

Title: Ghosts

Music: Margaret Ruthven Lang (1867-1972)

Text: Richard Kendall Munkittrick (1853-1911)

Note: this song is very short, but was much praised by Lang’s contemporaries.

Sheet Music

Free at Art Song Central:

  • PDF: Ghosts
    • Key: A♭ Major
    • Range: F4 – F5

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  • Available here thanks to Project Gutenberg: Ghosts

Song Text

Out in the misty moonlight, the first snow flakes I see,
As they frolic among the leafless boughs of the appletree.

Faintly they seem to whisper, as round the boughs they wing;
“We are the ghosts of the flowers who died in the early spring.”

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Quilter – The Answer

Song Information

Title: The Answer

Music: Roger Quilter (1877-1953)

Text: Laurence Binyon (1869-1943)

Sheet Music

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Song Text

Ask me not, dear, what thing it is
That makes me love you so;
What graces, what sweet qualities,
That from your spirit flow:
For I have but this old reply,
That you are you, that I am I.

My heart leaps when you look on me,
And thrills to hear your voice;
Lies, then, in these the mystery
That makes my soul rejoice?
I only know I love you true,
Since I am I, and you are you.

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Quilter – Slumber Song

Song Information

Title: Slumber Song (from “Where the Rainbow Ends”)

Music: Roger Quilter (1877-1953)

Text: Clifford Mills

Sheet Music

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Song Text

Rock-a-bye slumber comes soft from the West,
Mother is calling her babes to their nest,
Far flying birdies sail home on tired wing,
When all the world’s mothers their cradle song sing.-
Rock-a-bye, rock-a-bye, shoo!

Rock-a-bye slumber brings dreams from afar,
Woven for Earth in the first evening star;
Down through a cloudway of sunset she flies,
And with her soft kisses gives sleep to tired eyes.-
Rock-a-bye, rock-a-bye, shoo!

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Paladilhe – Psyché

Song Information

Title: Psyché

Music: Émile Paladilhe (1844-1926)

Text: Pierre Corneille (1606-1684)

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Song Text

Je suis jaloux, Psyché, de toute la nature!
Les rayons du soleil vous baisent troup souvent,
Vos cheveux souffrent trop les caresses du vent.
Quand il les flatte, j’en murmure!
L’air même que vous respirez
Avec trop de plaisir passe sur votre bouche.
Votre habit de trop près vous touche!
Et sitôt que vous soupirez
Je ne sais quoi qui m’effarouche
Craint, parmi vos soupirs, des soupirs égarés!

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Cadman – From The Land of the Sky-blue Water

Song Information

Title: From The Land of the Sky-blue Water (from Four American Indian Songs)

Music: Charles Wakefield Cadman (1881-1946)

Text: Nelle Richmond Eberhart (1871-1944)

Sheet Music

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Song Text

From the Land of the Sky-blue Water
They brought a captive maid;
And her eyes they are lit with lightnings
Her heart is not afraid!

But I steal to her lodge at dawning,
I woo her with my flute;
She is sick for the Sky-blue Water,
The captive maid is mute.

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Cadman – At Dawning

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.

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d’Hardelot – Sans Toi

Song Information

Title: Sans Toi

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

Text: Victor-Marie Hugo (1802-1885) (from Contemplations)

Sheet Music

Free at Art Song Central:

  • PDF: Sans Toi
    • Key: B♭ Major
    • Range: C4 – A♭5
    • Source: World’s Best Music ©1904

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Song Text

De quoi puis-je avoir envie,
De quoi puis-je avoir effroi,
Que ferai-je de la vie
Si tu n’es plus près de moi?

Que veux-tu que je devienne
Si je n’ entends plus ton pas?
Est-ce ta vie ou la mienne
Qui s’ en va? Je ne sais pas.

Tu portes dans la lumière,
Tu portes dans les buissons,
Sur une aile ma prière,
Et sur l’ autre mes chansons.

De quoi puis-je avoir envie,
De quoi puis-je avoir effroi,
Que ferai-je de la vie
Si tu n’es plus près de moi?

Que ferai-je, seul, farouche,
Sans toi, du jour et des cieux,
De mes baisers, sans ta bouche,
Et de mes pleurs, sans tes yeux!

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Holmès – L’Appel du Printemps

Song Information

Title: L’Appel du Printemps

Music: Augusta Mary Anne Holmès (1847-1903)

Text: Augusta Mary Anne Holmès (1847-1903)?

Sheet Music

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Song Text

Amoureux, amoureuses,
Suivez moi dans les bois retentissants!
Imitez les accents
Des colombes heureuses!
O Bergers, à genoux!
Bergères, Attendrissez-vous,
Livrez aux baisers timides et doux
Vos gazes légères!

Car l’Amour n’a qu’un jour,
La rose n’a qu’une heure,
Et l’ennui demeure,
Et l’hiver, on pleure l’étè,
Et la Beaute!
O Bergers, à genoux!
Bergères, Attendrissez-vous,
Livrez aux baisers timides et doux
Vos gazes légères!

Amoureux, amoureuses,
Je ramene les fleurs et les Désirs!
Saisissez les Plaisirs
par leurs ailes heureuses!
O Bergers, parlez bas!
Bergères, Ne rèsistez pas!
L’Amour suppliant vous montre la-bas
Les mousses légères!

Ah, cédez! Accordez l’extase que votre âme
En secret réclame!
Une lèvre en flamme, En fleurs,
Sèche les pleurs!
O Bergers, parlez bas!
Bergères, Ne rèsistez pas!
L’Amour suppliant vous montre la-bas
Les mousses légères
L’Amour triomphant vous ouvre les bras!
Cedez, Ô Bergères!

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Beach – The Year’s at the Spring

Song Information

Title: The Year’s at the Spring

Music: Amy Marcy Cheney Beach (1867-1944)

Text: Robert Browning (1812-1889)

Sheet Music

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Song Text

The year’s at the spring,
And day’s at the morn;
Morning’s at seven;
The hill-side’s dew-pearl’d;
The lark’s on the wing;
The snail’s on the thorn;
God’s in His heaven–
All’s right with the world!

Resources

  • Recmusic.org has the text.

d’Hardelot – Because

Song Information

Title: Because (Lorsque j’entends ton pas)

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

Text:

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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.

Beach – The Rainy Day

Song Information

Title: The Rainy Day

Music: Amy Marcy Cheney Beach (1867-1944)

Text: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882)

Sheet Music

Note: This appears to be Amy Beach’s first published song, written in 1880 when she was just 13. She was 16 when this was published.

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  • Available in unedited pages at the Library of Congress. (Note that the name on the cover page and the catalog entry are spelled incorrectly.)

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Song Text

The day is cold, and dark, and dreary
It rains, and the wind is never weary;
The vine still clings to the mouldr’ng wall,
But at ev’ry gust the dead leaves fall,
And the day is dark and dreary.

My life is cold, and dark, and dreary;
It rains, and the wind is never weary.
My thoughts still cling to the mould’ring Past,
But the hopes of youth fall thick in the blast,
And the days are dark and dreary.

Be still, sad heart, and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall,
Some days must be dark and dreary.

Resources

  • Recmusic.org has the text.

Chaminade – Madrigal

Song Information

Title: Madrigal

Music: Cécile Chaminade (1857-1944)

Text: Georges van Ormelingen

Sheet Music

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  • Also available in C Major in the collection of 20 Mélodies by Chaminade at IMSLP

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Song Text

Tes doux baisers sont des oiseaux
Qui voltigent fous, sur mes lèvres,
Ils y versent l’oubli des fièvres.
Tes doux baisers sont des oiseaux,
Aussi légers que des roseaux,
Foulés par les pieds blancs des chèvres.
Tes doux baisers sont des oiseaux
Qui voltigent fous, sur mes lèvres.

Comme de frivoles oiseaux
Aux ailes d’argent, aux bees mièvres,
Ainsi que sur des arbrisseaux
Ils viennent chanter sur mes lèvres,
Comme sculptés par des orfèvres
Avec de magiques ciseaux.
Tes baisers disent, doux oiseaux,
Leur chanson d’amour sur mes lèvres.

IPA Transcription:

IPA for Madrigal.

Resources

  • Recmusic.org has the text.

Beach – Hymn of Trust

Song Information

Title: Hymn of Trust

Music: Amy Marcy Cheney Beach (1867-1944)

Text: Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809-1894)

Sheet Music

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Song Text

Love Divine, that stoop’d to share
Our sharpest pang, our bitt’rest tear,
O Love Divine, we smile at pain while Thou art near.
Though long the weary way we tread,
And sorrow crown each ling’ring year,
No path we shun no darkness dread,
Our hearts still whisp’ring,
Thou art near!

Love Divine, that stoop’d to share
Our sharpest pang, our bitt’rest tear,
O Love Divine, on thee we cast each earthborn care.
When drooping pleasure turns to grief,
And trembling faith is turn’d to fear,
The murm’ring wind, the quiv’ring leaf
Shall tell us softly,
Thou art near!

O Thee we fling our burd’ning woe,
O Love Divine, forever dear,
Content to suffer, while we know,
Living and dying,
Thou art near!

Resources

  • Recmusic.org has the text.

Chaminade – L’anneau d’argent

Song Information

Title: L’anneau d’argent

Music: Cécile Chaminade (1857-1944)

Text: Rosemonde Gérard (1871-1953)

Sheet Music

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  • Also available in E♭ in the collection of 20 Mélodies by Chaminade at IMSLP

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Song Text

Le cher anneau d’argent que vous m’avez donné,
Garde en son cercle étroit nos promesses encloses;
De tant de souvenirs recéleur obstiné,
Lui seul m’a consolée en mes heures moroses.
Tel un ruban qu’on mit autour de fleurs écloses
Tient encor le bouquet alors qu’il est fané,
Tel l’humble anneau d’argent que vous m’avez donné
Garde en son cercle étroit nos promesses encloses.
Aussi, lorsque viendra l’oubli de toutes choses,
Dans le cercueil, de blanc satin capitonné,
Lorsque je dormirai, très pâle sur des roses,
Je veux qu’il brille encor à mon doigt décharné,
Le cher anneau d’argent que vous m’avez donné.

IPA Transcription:

IPA for L’anneau d’argent.

Resources

Delibes – Bonjour, Suzon!

Song Information

Title: Bonjour, Suzon!

Music: Léo Delibes (1836-1891)

Text: Alfred de Musset (1810-1857)

Sheet Music

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Song Text

Bonjour Suzon, ma fleur des bois!
Es-tu toujours la plus jolie?
Je reviens, tel que tu me vois,
D’un grand voyage en Italie,
Du paradis j’ai fait le tour;
J’ai fait des vers, j’ai fait l’amour.
Mais que t’importe?
Je passe devant ta maison;
Ouvre ta porte.
Bonjour, Suzon!

Je t’ai vue au temps des lilas.
Ton coeur joyeux venait d’éclore.
Et tu disais: “je ne veux pas,
Je ne veux pas qu’on m’aime encore.”
Qu’as-tu fait depuis mon départ?
Qui part trop tôt tard revient trop tard.
Mais que m’importe?
Je passe devant ta maison;
Ouvre ta porte.
Bonjour, Suzon!

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Jensen – Waldesgespräch

Song Information

Title: Waldesgespräch

Composer: Adolf Jensen (1837-1879)

Author: Joseph von Eichendorff (1788-1857)

Sheet Music

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Song Text

Es ist schon spät, es wird schon kalt,
Was reitest du einsam durch den Wald?
Der Wald ist lang, du bist allein,
Du schöne Braut! Ich führ dich heim!

“Groß ist der Männer Trug und List,
Vor Schmerz mein Herz gebrochen ist,
Wohl irrt das Waldhorn her und hin,
O flieh! Du weißt nicht, wer ich bin.”

So reich geschmückt ist Roß und Weib,
So wunderschön der junge Leib,
Jetzt kenn ich dich – Gott steht mir bei!
Du bist die Hexe Lorelei.

“Du kennst mich wohl – vom hohen Stein
Schaut still mein Schloß tief in den Rhein.
Es ist schon spät, es wird schon kalt,
Kommst nimmermehr aus diesem Wald.”

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Rosa (attr.) – Star vicino

Song Information

Title: Star vicino

Music:

Text: authorship unknown

Sheet Music

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Star vicino al bell’ Idol che s’ama,
È il più dolce dilet to d’amor,
È un incanto, un’ ebbrezza, una brama,
Che due cori congiunge in un cor.

Fortunato chi intende gli accenti
Di un affetto sincero e fedel!
Egli prova vivendo i contenti
Sol concessi ai beato nel ciel!

A che giova l’etate fiorita?
Ogni bene che il cielo ne die
Non si conti fra i giorni di vita
Quel che scorso in amando non e.

Resources

  • Recmusic.org has the text.

Schumann – Er, der Herrlichste von Allen

Song Information

Title: Er, der Herrlichste von Allen (from Frauenliebe und -leben)

Composer: Robert Schumann (1810-1856)

Author: Adelbert von Chamisso (1781-1838)

Sheet Music

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Text:

Er, der Herrlichste von allen,
Wie so milde, wie so gut!
Holde Lippen, klares Auge,
Heller Sinn und fester Mut.

So wie dort in blauer Tiefe,
Hell und herrlich, jener Stern,
Also er an meinem Himmel,
Hell und herrlich, hehr und fern.

Wandle, wandle deine Bahnen,
Nur betrachten deinen Schein,
Nur in Demut ihn betrachten,
Selig nur und traurig sein!

Höre nicht mein stilles Beten,
Deinem Glücke nur geweiht;
Darfst mich niedre Magd nicht kennen,
Hoher Stern der Herrlichkeit!

Nur die Würdigste von allen
Darf beglücken deine Wahl,
Und ich will die Hohe segnen,
Segnen viele tausendmal.

Will mich freuen dann und weinen,
Selig, selig bin ich dann;
Sollte mir das Herz auch brechen,
Brich, o Herz, was liegt daran?

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Sarti – Lungi dal caro bene

Song Information

Title: Lungi dal caro bene (Giulio’s aria from Giulio Sabino)

Music: Giuseppe Sarti (1729-1802)

Text: Pietro Giovannini

Sheet Music

Free at Art Song Central (PDF files):

Elsewhere on the Internet:

  • PDF available at the National Library of Australia
    • Key: G Major
    • Range: A3 – G5
    • Note: This is a very old edition, presented as ornamented by Mr. Nathan.

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Song Text

Lungi dal caro bene,
Vivere non poss’io;
Sono in un mar di pene;
Lungi dal caro bene,
Sento, sento mancarmi’l cor.
Un dolce estremo sonno,
Se lei mirar non ponno,
Mi chiuda, mi chiuda i lumi ancor.

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