Robin Redbreast

Good-bye, good-bye to Summer!
    For Summer's nearly done; 
The garden smiling faintly,
    Cool breezes in the sun; 
Our Thrushes now are silent,
    Our Swallows flown away, -- 
But Robin's here, in coat of brown,
    With ruddy breast-knot gay. 
Robin, Robin Redbreast,
    O Robin dear! 
Robin singing sweetly
    In the falling of the year.

Bright yellow, red, and orange,
    The leaves come down in hosts; 
The trees are Indian Princes,
    But soon they'll turn to Ghosts; 
The scanty pears and apples
    Hang russet on the bough, 
It's Autumn, Autumn, Autumn late,
    'Twill soon be Winter now. 
Robin, Robin Redbreast,
    O Robin dear! 
And welaway! my Robin,
    For pinching times are near.

The fireside for the Cricket,
    The wheatstack for the Mouse, 
When trembling night-winds whistle
    And moan all round the house; 
The frosty ways like iron,
    The branches plumed with snow, -- 
Alas! in Winter, dead and dark,
    Where can poor Robin go? 
Robin, Robin Redbreast,
    O Robin dear! 
And a crumb of bread for Robin,
    His little heart to cheer.

by William Allingham (1824-1889) , "Robin Redbreast", from Poems, published 1861

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

by (William) Havergal Brian (1876-1972) , "Goodbye to Summer", published 1914. [SA a cappella]
by Henry Clough-Leighter (1874-1956) , "Robin Redbreast", published 1933 [unaccompanied voices], from Rhythm Songs
by Friedrich Gernsheim (1839-1916) , "Robin Redbreast", published 1915 [voices a cappella], from The Progressive Music Series
by J. M. Hubbard , "Robin Redbreast", published 1882 [voice, piano], from Treasury of Song for the Home Circle
by E. W. Johns , "Robin Redbreast", published 1918 [SSA, piano], from Junior Songs
by Geoffrey Molyneux Palmer (1882-1957) , "Good-bye to Summer", published 1914. [unison voices, piano]
by Sir Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924) , "Robin Redbreast", published 1907. [two-part female chorus a cappella]
by Eric Harding Thiman (1900-1975) , "Robin Redbreast", published 1935. [SA, piano]

Date added to the website: 2005-12-19.

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