Song Cycle by Ivor Gurney (1890-1937)

1. Orpheus

Authorship

possibly by John Fletcher (1579-1625)
possibly by William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

See other settings of this text

Available translations (or transliterations, if applicable):

GER German (Julia Hamann)

Orpheus with his lute made trees,
And the mountain-tops that freeze,
Bow themselves, when he did sing:	

To his music, plants and flowers
Ever [sprung]1; as sun and showers
There had made a lasting spring.

Everything that heard him play,
Even the billows of the sea,
Hung their heads, and then lay by.

In sweet music is such art:
Killing care and grief of heart
Fall asleep, or, hearing, die.

2. Tears

Authorship

by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist , 16^th century

See other settings of this text

Available translations (or transliterations, if applicable):

GER German (Julia Hamann)

Weep you no more, sad fountains;
What need [you]1 flow so fast?
Look how the snowy mountains
Heaven's sun doth gently waste!
But my sun's heavenly eyes
View not your weeping,
That now lies sleeping,
[Softly now, softly]2 lies
Sleeping.

Sleep is a reconciling,
A rest that peace begets;
Doth not the sun rise smiling
When fair at [e'en]3 he sets?
Rest you, then, rest, sad eyes!
Melt not in weeping,
While she lies sleeping,
[Softly now, softly]2 lies
Sleeping.

3. Under the greenwood tree

Authorship

by William Shakespeare (1564-1616) , no title, from As You Like It, Act II, Scene 5

See other settings of this text

Available translations (or transliterations, if applicable):

GER German (Julia Hamann)

Under the greenwood tree
Who loves to lie with me,
And [turn]1 [his]2 merry note
Unto the sweet bird's throat,
Come hither, come hither, come hither:
Here shall he see
No enemy
But winter and rough weather.

Who doth ambition shun,
And loves to live i' the sun,
Seeking the food he eats,
And pleas'd with what he gets,
Come hither, come hither, come hither:
Here shall he see
No enemy
But winter and rough weather.

[ ... ]

4. Sleep

Authorship

by John Fletcher (1579-1625) , "Sleep", from The Woman Hater, published 1607

See other settings of this text

Available translations (or transliterations, if applicable):

GER German (Julia Hamann)

Come, Sleep, and with thy sweet deceiving
Lock me in delight awhile;
Let some pleasing [dreams]1 beguile
All my fancies; that from thence
[I may feel]2 an influence
All my powers of care bereaving.

Though but a shadow, but a sliding,
Let me know some little joy!
We that suffer long annoy
Are contented with a thought
Through an idle fancy wrought:
O let my joys have some abiding!

5. Spring

Authorship

by Thomas Nashe (1567-1601) , from Summer's Last Will and Testament, published 1600

See other settings of this text

Available translations (or transliterations, if applicable):

GER German (Julia Hamann)

Spring, the sweet Spring, is the year's pleasant king;
Then blooms each thing, then maids dance in a ring,
Cold doth not sting, the pretty birds do sing,
Cuckoo, jug-jug, pu-we, to-witta-woo!

The palm and may make country houses gay,
Lambs frisk and play, the [shepherds pipe]1 all day,
And we hear aye birds tune this merry lay,
Cuckoo, jug-jug, pu-we, to-witta-woo!

The fields breathe sweet, the daisies kiss our feet,
Young lovers meet, old wives a-sunning sit,
In every street these tunes our ears do greet,
Cuckoo, jug-jug, pu-we, to-witta-woo!
Spring! The sweet Spring!

Search/Shop for

Sheet music:

  Search sheetmusicplus.com for Five Elizabethan Songs (The Elizas), Art song , Lieder, chansons, or works for solo voice
  Search musicroom.com for Five Elizabethan Songs (The Elizas), vocal/choral music

CDs:

  Search amazon.com for Five Elizabethan Songs (The Elizas), art song, Lieder, or chansons
  Search amazon.ca for Five Elizabethan Songs (The Elizas), art song, Lieder, or chansons

Books:

  The Art of the Song Recital [amazon.com]
  The Book of Lieder: The Original Texts of Over 1000 Songs [amazon.com]
  Search amazon.com for art song, Lieder, or chansons
  Search amazon.ca for art song, lieder, or chansons

Classical Vocal Repertoire