Epilogue (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)


In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, 
and the Word was God. In him was life; and the life was the 
light of men. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among 
us, full of grace and truth. Emmanuel, God with us.
   —John 1:1, 4, 14; Matthew 1:23


   Ring out, ye crystal spheres,
   Once bless our human ears,
If ye have power to touch our senses so;
   And let your silver chime
   Move in melodious time,
And let the bass of heaven's deep organ blow;
And with your ninefold harmony
Make up full consort to the angelic symphony.

   Such music (as 'tis said)
   Before was never made,
But when of old the sons of morning sung,
   While the Creator great
   His constellations set,
And the well_balanced world on hinges hung,
And cast the dark foundations deep,
And bid the weltering waves their oozy channel keep.

   Yea, truth and justice then
   Will down return to men,
Orbed in a rainbow; and, like glories wearing,
   Mercy will sit between,
   Throned in celestial sheen,
With radiant feet the tissued clouds down steering;
And heaven, as at some festival,
Will open wide the gates of her high palace hall.

Input by Ahmed E. Ismail

Authorship

John Milton (1608-1674)

Hymn on the Morning of Christ's Nativity

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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