On Jordan's Banks

On Jordan's banks the Arab's camels stray,
  On Sion's hill the False One's votaries pray.
The Baal-adorer bows on Sinai's steep -
  Yet there even there - oh God! they thunder sleep:

There - where thy finger scorch'd the tablet stone!
  There - where thy shadow to they people shone!
Thy glory shrouded in its garb of fire:
  Thyself - none living see and not expire!

Oh! in the lightning let thy glance appear,
  Sweep from his shiver'd hand the oppressor's spear!
How long by tyrants shall thy land be trod?
  How long thy temple worshipless, Oh God?

by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788-1824) , "On Jordan's Banks", from Hebrew Melodies, no. 6, 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 Samuel Bugatch , "On Jordan's Banks", published 1943 [soprano, mixed chorus, and orchestra], from Judea, no. ?, with Yiddish translation by M. Frelicoff
by John Eastes , "On Jordan's Banks", published 1860. [voice and piano]
by Isaac Nathan (1790-1864) , "On Jordan's Banks", published 1815 [voice and piano], from A Selection of Hebrew Melodies No. I, no. 6.

by Johann Karl Gottfried Loewe (1796-1869) , "Jordans Ufer", op. 13 (Hebräische Gesänge) no. 4, published 1826. [voice and piano]

by Max Bruch (1838-1920) , "Arabiens Kameele", published 1888 [SATB chorus, orchestra, and organ ad libitum], from Hebräische Gesänge, no. 3, Leipzig, Breitkopf & Härtel

by Heinrich August Marschner (1795-1861) , "Racheruf", op. 100 (Israelitische Gesänge) no. ? (<<1861). [voice and piano]

by Karl Müller , "Am Jordan schweift", op. 6 no. 4, published 1870. [high voice and piano quartet]

by Georg Schumann (1866-1952) , "An den Ufern des Jordans", op. 17 (3 Lieder) no. ? [voice and piano]

Date added to the website: 2003-11-13.

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Am Jordan schweift

Am Jordan schweift das Araber-Kameel,
Auf Sion preist man Götzen ohne Hehl, --
Auf Sinai, beugt man dem Baal das Knie,
Und doch -- o Gott! erwacht dein Donner nie!

Dort, -- wo auf Stein dein Finger glühend schrieb,
Dort -- wo bei deinem Volk dein Schatten blieb:
Wo Feuer deine Glorie verhehlt.
Weil dich zu sehn, den Lebenden entseelt:

O ! send' in Blitzen deinen Blick umher,
Reiß aus zermalmter Hand des Drängers Speer ;
Wie lang noch tritt dein Land Tyrannenspott?
Wie lang noch bleibt dein Tempel wüst, o Gott?

by Adolf Böttger (1815-1870) , "Am Jordan schweift", from Hebräische Melodien, no. 6, published 1841

a text in English by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788-1824) , "On Jordan's Banks", from Hebrew Melodies, no. 6, 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 Karl Müller , "Am Jordan schweift", op. 6 no. 4, published 1870. [high voice and piano quartet]

Date added to the website: 2009-08-09.