The blossom

Merry, merry sparrow!
Under leaves so green
A happy blossom
Sees you, swift as arrow,
Seek your cradle narrow,
Near my bosom.

Pretty, pretty robin!
Under leaves so green
A happy blossom
Hears you sobbing, sobbing,
Pretty, pretty robin,
Near my bosom.

by William Blake (1757-1827) , "The blossom", from Songs of Innocence and Experience, in Songs of Innocence, no. 6, published 1789

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

by Mark Armanini (1952-) , "The blossom", 1985. [SATB chorus, a cappella]
by Edgar Leslie Bainton (1880-1956) , "The robin", published 1925. [unison voices and piano]
by William Bolcom (1938-) , "The blossom", 1956-81 [soloists, madrigal group, chorus, orchestra], from Songs of Innocence, no. 12.
by Rutland Boughton (1878-1960) , "The blossom", op. 34a no. 1, published 1912 [unison voices and piano], from Six Unison Songs, no. 1.
by Hayg Boyadjian (1938-) , "The blossom", 1975.
by (William) Havergal Brian (1876-1972) , "The blossom", published 1929. [unison voices and piano]
by Vincent Caillard , "The blossom", published 1891 [voice and piano], from The Songs of Innocence of William Blake, no. ?
by Mary Grant Carmichael (1851-1935) , "The blossom", published c1917 [two-part song for soprano and alto, or tenor and baritone], from Four songs, no. 2.
by Elizabeth Penn Sprague Coolidge (Mrs. Frederick Shurtleff Coolidge) (1864-1953) , "The blossom", 19--? [voice and piano], from Songs of Innocence, no. 2.
by John H. Corina (1928-) , "The blossom", 1976, first performed 1977 [mezzo-soprano, flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon], from From Songs of Innocence and Experience, no. ?
by John Woods Duke (1899-1984) , "The blossom", published 1955 [voice and piano], from Four Songs
by Thomas Frederick Dunhill (1877-1946) , "The blossom", published 1933. [unison voices and piano]
by A. Lehman Engel (1910-) , "The blossom", published 1939. [SSA a cappella]
by (Charles William) Eric Fogg (1903-1939) , "A happy blossom", published 1924. [partsong: three-part female chorus and piano]
by Hilda M. Grieveson , "Merry, merry sparrow!", published 1929 [two-part song for treble voices and piano], London, H. F. W. Deane & Sons
by William Henry Hadow, Sir (1859-1937) , "The blossom", published 1891 [voice and piano], from First Album of Five Songs, no. 2, Oxford, Acott, Harris & Co. (later Oxford University Press)
by Fritz Bennicke Hart (1874-1949) , "The blossom", op. 13 (Seven songs) no. 3 (1913). [voice and piano]
by Christian Victor Hely-Hutchinson (1901-1947) , "The blossom", published 1932 [suite: SA, string orchestra, optional harp], from The Echoing Green
by Percy Jackman , "The blossom", published 1898. [SSA a cappella]
by John Brodbin Kennedy , "The blossom", published 1964 [three-part treble chorus a cappella], from A Spring Festival
by Charles T. Maclary , "The blossom", published 1941 [voice and piano], from Nine Happy Songs
by Michael Richard Miller (1932-) , "The blossom", 1965 [SSA and piano], from Blake's Garden, no. 3.
by Ellen Raskin , "The blossom", published 1966 [voice and piano and/or guitar], from Songs of Innocence, no. ?
by (William Herbert) Mervyn Roberts (1906-1990) , "The blossom", 1940 [soprano and piano], from Four Songs of Innocence, no. ?
by Rámon Keith Roper (1941-) , "The blossom", published 1972 [high voice and piano], from Nings II, no. ?
by Gregg Smith (1931-) , "The blossom", published 1975 [unison treble choir and piano (with optional instruments)], from Songs of Innocence, no. ?
by Sir Arthur Somervell (1863-1937) , "The blossom", published 1889 [voice and piano], from Five Songs of Innocence (formerly Four Songs of Innocence), no. 2, London, Stanley Lucas & Co.
by Dorothy Wauchope Stewart , "The blossom", published 1926 [unison treble chorus and piano], from Eight Songs of Innocence, no. ?
by John Ebenezer West (1863-1929) , "The blossom", published 1918 [SSA a cappella], from Junior Songs
by Richard Willis (1929-) , "The blossom", 1970 [soprano, piano, clarinet, and percussion], from Three Songs from Blake, no. ?
by Charles Wood (1866-1926) , "The blossom", published 1926. [partsong: SSA a cappella]

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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