By a Bier-Side (Masefield, set by C. Gibbs, I. Gurney) (The Lied and Art Song Texts Page: Texts and Translations to Lieder, mélodies, canzoni, and other classical vocal music)


This is a sacred city, built of marvellous earth.
Life was lived nobly there to give such Beauty birth.
Beauty was in this brain and in this eager hand.
Death is so blind and dumb, death does not understand.

Death drifts the brain with dust and soils the young limbs' glory.
Death makes justice a dream and strength a traveller's story.
Death drives the lovely soul to wander under the sky.
Death opens unknown doors. It is most grand to die.

Input by Ted Perry

Authorship

John Masefield (1878-1967)

The Tragedy of Pompey the Great

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

Cecil Armstrong Gibbs (1889-1960)

Ivor Gurney (1890-1937)

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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