A dream within a dream

Take this kiss upon the brow!
And, in parting from you now,
Thus much let me avow -
You are not wrong, who deem
That my days have been a dream;
Yet if hope has flown away
In a night, or in a day,
In a vision, or in none,
Is it therefore the less gone?
All that we see or seem
Is but a dream within a dream.

I stand amid the roar
Of a surf-tormented shore,
And I hold within my hand
Grains of the golden sand-
How few! yet how they creep
Through my fingers to the deep,
While I weep - while I weep!
O God! can I not grasp
Them with a tighter clasp?
O God! can I not save
One from the pitiless wave?
Is all that we see or seem
But a dream within a dream?

by Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) , "A dream within a dream"

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

by Henry P. Cross (1895-) , "A dream within a dream", published 1936. [SSAATTBB chorus a cappella]
by Emil Debusman , "A dream within a dream", from Three Songs, no. ?
by Daron Aric Hagen (1961-) , "A dream within a dream", from Echo's songs, no. 3.
by Huub de Lange (1955-) , "A dream within a dream", published 2007. [SATB a cappella]
by Charles Martin Tornov Loeffler (1861-1935) , "A dream within a dream", op. 15 (Four Poems) no. 2, published 1906.
by Neil McKay (1924-) , "A dream within a dream", published 1976. [SATB chorus a cappella]
by Julian Mount, né William Hutchinson , "A dream within a dream", published 1878.
by Henry Pontet (1840-1902) , "A dream within a dream", published >>1877. [voice and piano]
by Oscar George Theodore Sonneck (1873-1928) , "A dream within a dream", op. 16 (Four Poems by Edgar Allan Poe) no. 4, published 1917. [baritone, piano]
by George William Torrance, Rev. (1835-1907) , "A dream within a dream", published 1904. [SATB]
by Myra Kinney Van Höveln-Carpé , "Grains of the golden sand", op. 54a, published 1922, stanza 2. [vocie and piano]

Date added to the website: 2007-09-27.

Gentle Reminder

This project is not funded. If you found the information here useful, please consider making a donation. Your gift is greatly appreciated!      - Emily I also have a wishlist at Amazon.ca.

Search/Shop for

Sheet music:

  Search sheetmusicplus.com for A dream within a dream, Grains of the golden sand, Art song , Lieder, chansons, or works for solo voice
  Search musicroom.com for A dream within a dream, Grains of the golden sand, vocal/choral music

CDs:

  Search amazon.com for A dream within a dream, Grains of the golden sand, art song, Lieder, or chansons
  Search amazon.ca for A dream within a dream, Grains of the golden sand, art song, Lieder, or chansons

Books:

  The Art of the Song Recital [amazon.com]
  The Book of Lieder: The Original Texts of Over 1000 Songs [amazon.com]
  Search amazon.com for art song, Lieder, or chansons
  Search amazon.ca for art song, lieder, or chansons

Classical Vocal Repertoire