Song: It was the winter wild (Milton, set by R. Vaughan Williams) (The Lied and Art Song Texts Page: Texts and Translations to Lieder, mélodies, canzoni, and other classical vocal music)


It was the Winter wild,
While the Heaven_born_child,
    All meanly wrapt in the rude manger lies;
Nature in awe to him
Had doffed her gaudy trim,
    With her great Master so to sympathize:
And waving wide her myrtle wand,
She strikes a universal Peace through Sea and Land.
No war or battle's sound
Was heard the world around,
    The idle spear and shield were high up hung;
The hookèd Chariot stood
Unstained with hostile blood,
    The Trumpet spake not to the armèd throng,
And Kings sate still with aweful eye,
As if they surely knew their sovran Lord was by.

But peaceful was the night
Wherein the Prince of light
    His reign of peace upon the earth began:
The winds, with wonder whist,
Smoothly the waters kissed,
    Whispering new joys to the mild Ocean,
Who now hath quite forgot to rave,
While birds of calm sit brooding on the charmèd wave.

Input by Ahmed E. Ismail

Authorship

John Milton (1608-1674)

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

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)

Hodie

Date added to the website: 2006-07-26.

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