Twilight

The twilight is sad and cloudy,
The wind blows wild and free,
And like the wings of [sea-birds]1
Flash the white caps of the sea.

But in the fisherman's cottage
There shines a ruddier light,
And a little face at the window
Peers out into the night.

Close, close it is pressed to the window,
As if those childish eyes
Were looking into the darkness,
To see some form arise.

And a woman's waving shadow
Is passing to and fro,
Now rising to the ceiling,
Now bowing and bending low.

What tale do the roaring ocean,
And the night-wind, bleak and wild,
As they beat at the crazy casement,
Tell to that little child?

And why do the roaring ocean,
And the night-wind, wild and bleak,
As they beat at the heart of the mother,
Drive the color from her cheek?

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) , "Twilight", from The Seaside and the Fireside, published 1849

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

by Amy Marcy Cheney Beach (1867-1944) , "In the Twilight", op. 85, published 1922. [voice and piano]
by W. H. Bentley , "Twilight", op. 2 (Six songs) no. 1. [voice and piano]
by Isaac Berrow , "Twilight" [voice and piano]
by Amy Blakeway , "Twilight" [voice and piano]
by Chas. J. Clark , "Twilight by the sea" [voice and piano]
by R. J. Ella , "Twilight" [voice and piano]
by John Liptrot Hatton (1809-1886) , "Twilight by the sea" [voice and piano]
by Arthur William Marchant (1850-?) , "Twilight" [partsong: two-part women's voices and piano]
by George Washbourne Morgan (1822-1892) , "Twilight", published 1878. [voice and piano]
by Joseph Edward Newell , "Twilight" [partsong: two-part voices and piano], from Twelve Two Part Songs for the Use of Schools and Classes
by Mrs. Joseph Robinson , "Twilight" [voice and piano]
by S. A. Smith , "Twilight" [voice and piano]
by Willoughby Hunter Weiss (1820-1867) , "The fisherman's cottage", published 1845-60. [voice and piano]

Date added to the website: 2005-08-03.

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