The echoing green

The sun does arise,
And make happy the skies;
The merry bells ring
To welcome the Spring;
The skylark and thrush,
The birds of the bush,
Sing louder around
To the bells' cheerful sound;
While our sports shall be seen
On the echoing green. 

Old John, with white hair,
Does laugh away care,
Sitting under the oak,
Among the old folk.
They laugh at our play,
And soon they all say,
"Such, such were the joys
When we all--girls and boys -
In our youth-time were seen
On the echoing green."

Till the little ones, weary,
No more can be merry:
The sun does descend,
And our sports have an end.
Round the laps of their mothers
Many sisters and brothers,
Like birds in their nest,
Are ready for rest,
And sport no more seen
On the darkening green.

by William Blake (1757-1827) , "The echoing green", from Songs of Innocence and Experience, in Songs of Innocence, no. 3, 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 Phillip Thomas Bezanson (1916-1975) , "The echoing green", published 1959, from Songs of Innocence, no. 2.
by William Bolcom (1938-) , "The echoing green", 1956-81 [soloists, madrigal group, chorus, orchestra], from Songs of Innocence, no. 2.
by A. (Alfred or Arthur?) Herbert Brewer (1865-1928) , "The echoing green", published c1917. [duet for two treble voices and piano]
by Frederick Matthias Breydert (1909-) , "The echoing green", published c1950 [voice and piano], Boston, Boston Music Co.
by (William) Havergal Brian (1876-1972) , "The echoing green", 1914. [part-song for three female voices (SSA) and piano]
by William Busch (1901-1945) , "The echoing green", published 1944, from Two Songs of William Blake, no. 1.
by (Henry) Elliot Button (1861-?) , "The echoing green", published 1892, from Songs of Innocence, no. 2.
by Anthony Caesar (1924-) , "The echoing green", published c1948. [unison song]
by Arnold Atkinson Cooke (1906-2005) , "The echoing green", 1956, published 1960 [soprano, clarinet in A, piano], from Three Songs of Innocence, no. 3.
by Emily Crocker (1949-) , "The echoing green", published c1985. [SSA chorus a cappella]
by John Ireland (1879-1962) , "The echoing green", 1913 [soprano, alto, and piano], from Eight songs for upper voices and piano, no. 7.
by (John) Michael Jacques (1944-) , "The echoing green", 1966 [soprano voices and piano with optional accompaniment for strings, two clarinets, and piano], from Six Songs of Innocence, no. 3.

DUT Dutch (Lidy van Noordenburg)

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