She walks in beauty

She walks in beauty, like the night 
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright 
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellow'd to that tender light 
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.
 
One shade the more, one ray the less, 
Had half impair'd the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress, 
Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express 
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek, and o'er that brow, 
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow, 
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below, 
A heart whose love is innocent.

by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788-1824) , "She walks in beauty", from Hebrew Melodies, no. 1

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

by Adolph Martin Foerster (1854-1927) , "She walks in beauty", op. 45 (Four Songs) no. 2.
by Isaac Nathan (1790-1864) , "She walks in beauty", 1814, published 1815, from A Selection of Hebrew Melodies No. I, no. 1.

by Johann Karl Gottfried Loewe (1796-1869) , "Sie geht in Schönheit", op. 5 no. 1 (1824).

by Max Bruch (1838-1920) , "In ihrer Schönheit wandelt sie", published 1888 [SATB chorus, orchestra, and organ ad libitum], from Hebräische Gesänge, no. 2, Leipzig, Breitkopf & Härtel
by Ernst Hermann Meyer (1905-1988) , "In ihrer Schönheit wandelt sie"

by Karl Müller , "Sie geht in Schönheit", op. 6 no. 1, published 1862 [high voice and piano quartet], from Hebräische Melodien, no. 1.

ITA Italian (Ferdinando Albeggiani)

Date added to the website: 2003-11-04.

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In ihrer Schönheit wandelt sie

In ihrer Schönheit wandelt sie
Wie wolkenlose Sternennacht;
Vermählt auf ihrem Antlitz sieh
Des Dunkels Reiz, des Lichtes Pracht:
Der Dämmrung zarte Harmonie,
Die hinstirbt, wenn der Tag erwacht.

Kein Licht zuviel, kein Schatten fehlt -
Sonst wär's die tiefe Anmut nicht,
Die jede Rabenlocke strählt
Und sanft verklärt ihr Angesicht,
Wo hold und hell die Seel erzählt
Von lieben Träumen, rein und licht.

O diese Wang, o diese Braun,
Wie sanft, wie still, und doch beredt,
Was wir in ihrem Lächeln schaun!
Ein frommes Wirken früh und spät,
Ein Herz voll Frieden und Vertraun,
Und Lieb, unschuldig wie Gebet.

by Otto Gildemeister (1823-1902)

a text in English by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788-1824) , "She walks in beauty", from Hebrew Melodies, no. 1 ITA

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

by Max Bruch (1838-1920) , "In ihrer Schönheit wandelt sie", published 1888 [SATB chorus, orchestra, and organ ad libitum], from Hebräische Gesänge, no. 2, Leipzig, Breitkopf & Härtel
by Ernst Hermann Meyer (1905-1988) , "In ihrer Schönheit wandelt sie"

Date added to the website: 2008-10-31.