If that high world

If that high world -- which lies beyond
   Our own, surviving love endears;
If there the cherished heart be fond,
   The eye the same -- except in tears --
How welcome those untrodden spheres!
   How sweet this very hour to die!
To soar from earth and find all fears
   Lost in thy light -- eternity!

It must be so -- 'tis not for self
   That we so tremble on the brink,
And striving to o'erleap the gulph,
   Yet cling to Being's breaking link.
Oh! in that future let us think
   To hold each heart the heart that shares;
With them the immortal waters drink,
   And soul in soul grow deathless theirs!

by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788-1824) , "If that high world", from Hebrew Melodies, no. 3, published 1815

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

by David Leo Diamond (1915-2005) , "If that high world", published 1969 [voice and piano], from Hebrew melodies, no. 2.
by Otto Luening (1900-1996) , "If that high world", published 1941. [SSA a cappella]
by James Nary , "If that high world", published 1876 [voice and piano], from Lord Byron's Hebrew Melodies, no. ?
by Isaac Nathan (1790-1864) , "If that high world", published 1815 [voice and piano], from A Selection of Hebrew Melodies No. I, no. 3.
by Friedrich Eduard Wilsing (1809-1893) , "If that high world", <<1893 [voice and piano], from Hebrew Melodies, also set in German

by Johann Karl Gottfried Loewe (1796-1869) , "Die höh're Welt", op. 13 (Hebräische Gesänge) no. 3 (1825), published 1826. [voice and piano]
by Friedrich Eduard Wilsing (1809-1893) , "Die höhere Welt", <<1893 [voice and piano], from Hebrew Melodies, also set in English

by Heinrich August Marschner (1795-1861) , "Die bessre Welt", op. 100 (Israelitische Gesänge) no. 1, published 1839. [voice and piano]

by Karl Müller , "Wenn in der Welt, die droben liegt", op. 6 no. 2, published 1862 [high voice and piano quartet], from Hebräische Melodien, no. 2.

Date added to the website: 2004-05-08.

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