Orpheus' Hymn (Birkenhead, set by H. Lawes) (The Lied and Art Song Texts Page: Texts and Translations to Lieder, mélodies, canzoni, and other classical vocal music)


O King of Heaven and Hell, of Sea and Earth!
  who shak'st the world when thou shout'st Thunder forth;
Whom Devils dread, and Hosts of Heaven praise;
  whom Fate (which masters all things else) obeys:
Eternal Cause! who on the Winds doth ride,
  and Nature's face with thick dark Clouds dost hide;
Cleaving the Air with Balls of dreadful Fire;
  Guiding the Stars which run, and never tire.
About thy Throne bright Angels stand, and Bow
  to be dispatch'd to Mortals here below.

Thy early Spring in Purple robes comes forth;
  Thy Summers South does conquer all the North:
And though thy Winter freeze the Hearts of Men:
  Glad wine from Autumn cheers them up again.

Authorship

Sir John Birkenhead (1616-1679)

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

Henry Lawes (c1595-1662)

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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