Lines to an Indian Air

I arise from dreams of thee
In the first sweet sleep of night,
When the winds are breathing low,
And the stars are shining bright:
I arise from dreams of thee,
And a spirit in my feet
[Has]1 led me - who knows how?
To thy chamber window, Sweet!

The wandering airs they faint
On the dark, the silent stream -
The Champak odours fail
Like sweet thoughts in a dream;
The nightingale's complaint,
It dies upon her heart; -
As I must die on thine,
O belovèd as thou art!

Oh lift me from the grass!
I die! I faint! I fail!
Let thy love in kisses rain
On my lips and eyelids pale.
My cheek is cold and white, alas!
My heart beats loud and fast; -
Oh! press it to thine own again,
Where it will break at last.

by Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822) , "Lines to an Indian Air"

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

by Timothée (Tymoteusz) Adamowski (1858-1943) , "I arise from dreams of thee"
by Paul Ambrose , "Serenade", op. 12 no. 1, published 1898, note: the reference work I used presumed this setting was for the text to "Indian Serenade" but this could be a mistake.
by David Arditti (1964-) , "Indian Serenade", 1985, first performed 1994, from Three Poems of Percy Bysshe Shelley, no. 3.
by Mrs. Robert Arkwright (Frances Crauford, née Kemble?) (-1849) , "I arise from dreams", published 1866.
by Sir Edward Cuthbert Bairstow (1874-1946) , "I arise from dreams", published 1903, from Six Songs, no. 4
by John G. Barnett (1802-1890) , "I arise from dreams of thee", published 1834. [canzonet for soprano or tenor]
by Jean-Pierre Barricelli , "Indian serenade", op. 12 no. 3 (1948?)
by Ida Beaumont , "Indian serenade", published 1895.
by Augusto Bendelari (19th century) , "I arise from dreams of thee", published 1863.
by Alfred William Bennett , "I arise from dreams", published 1854.
by William Henry Berwald (1864-1948) , "Indian serenade", published 1931. [four-part chorus]
by J. S. Beuthin , "I arise from dreams", published 1855. [four-part song, SSTB]
by John W. Bischoff (1850-1909) , "I arise from dreams", published 1910. [soprano or tenor, piano]
by Franz Carl Bornschein (1879-1948) , "Indian serenade", published 1907.
by Frank Herbert Brackett , "From dreams of thee", published 1905.
by Frederic Field Bullard (1864-1904) , "From dreams of thee", op. 17 no. 3, published 1894, from Four Poems by Shelley Set to Lyric Music, no. 3.
by Noble Cain (1896-1977) , "The Indian serenade", published 1932. [TTBB]
by John Spencer Camp (1858-1946) , "Indian song", published 1903.
by Orlando Canale , "The Indian serenade", published 1946.
by O. L. Carter , "Indian serenade", published 1893.
by Horace Clark , "I arise from dreams", published 1908. [women's voices]
by Louis Adolphe Coerne (1870-1922) , "I arise from dreams", op. 164 no. 1, published 1921. [high voice in C]
by Frederick Shepherd Converse (1871-1940) , "Indian serenade", op. 14 (Three love songs) no. 2, published 1903. [baritone and piano]
by Charles Whitney Coombs (1859-1940) , "Indian serenade", published 1891. [soprano or tenor, piano]
by Frederick Delius (1862-1934) , "Indian love song", 1891, from Three Songs, the words by Shelley, no. 1.
by Michael Head (1900-1976) , "I arise from dreams of thee", 1921, published 1921.
by Boleyne Reeves , "I arise from dreams", published 1845. [voice and harp or piano]

by Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936) , "Serenata indiana", P. 90 no. 5, published 1909, from Sei liriche, prima serie, no. 5.

by Emile Antoine Bruguiere , "Mich erweckt ein süßer Traum", published 1901.

GER German (Bertram Kottmann)

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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Serenata indiana

Del sonno tra i fantasimi
Di te sognavo, o amore!
Mi desto: i venti trepididi sospirano,
È delle stelle vivido il fulgore.
Ti sognavo; e uno spirito
M'addusse, come fu?
Oh amor, sotto il balcone
Della camera, ove dimori tu!
     Le aure errabonde languono
Sulle mute correnti.
Dei gigli neri vagano gli effluvii,
Come in sogno pensieri evanescenti.
All'usignolo il querulo canto
Nel petto muor:
Così debbo morire, o fior dell'anima,
Così sovra il tuor cuor!
     Oh! Da terra sollevami!
Io muoio, io languo, io manco.
Piova in baci il tuor amor sulle miei palpebre
Bianche, sul labbro sitibondo e bianco.
Ahi! La mia guancia è pallida!
Il cuor battiti dà impetuosi!
Oh! Ancor contro il tuo stringilo:
Ivi s'infrangerà.

by Roberto Ascoli

a text in English by Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822) , "Lines to an Indian Air" GER

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

by Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936) , "Serenata indiana", P. 90 no. 5, published 1909, from Sei liriche, prima serie, no. 5.

Date added to the website: 2007-06-19.