A tragic story

There liv'd a sage in days of yore
And he a handsome pigtail wore
But wonder'd much and sorrow'd more,
Because it hung behind him.

He mus'd upon this curious case,
And swore he'd change the pigtail's place,
And have it hanging at his face
Not dangling there behind him

Says he, "The mystery I've found, --
I'll turn me round," --
He turn'd round,
But still it hung behind him.

Then round and round, and out and in,
All day the puzzled sage did spin;
In vain -- it matter'd not a pin --
The pigtail hung behind him.

And right and left, and round about,
And up and down, and in and out,
He turn'd, but still the pigtail stout
Hung steadily behind him.

And though his efforts never slack,
And though he twist, and twirl, and take,
Alas, still faithful to his back,
The pigtail hangs behind him.

by William Makepeace Thackeray (1811-1863) , "A tragic story", from Five German Ditties, no. 1 [an adaptation]

a text in German by Adelbert von Chamisso (1781-1838) , "Tragische Geschichte", from Lieder und lyrisch epische Gedichte

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

by Arthur Bergh (1882-1962) , "A tragic story", published 1950. [SATB chorus a cappella]
by (Edward) Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) , "A tragic story", op. 7 no. 2, published 1936 [children's chorus and piano], from Friday Afternoons, no. 2.
by Frederic Field Bullard (1864-1904) , "The pigtail", published 1901. [SATB chorus and piano ad libitum]
by Sir Ernest Bullock (1890-1979) , "A tragic story", published 1923. [unison voices and piano]
by George Whitefield Chadwick (1854-1931) , "A tragic story", published 1928. [two-part SB chorus]
by Madeleine Dring (1923-1977) , "The pigtail", published 1963. [SS chorus and piano]
by J. Bertram Fox (1881-1946) , "A tragic tale", published <<1940. [high voice and piano]
by Henry Franklin Belknap Gilbert (1868-1928) , "The pigtail", published 1928. [voice and piano]
by Ann Hamerton , "A tragic story", published 1958. [SS chorus and piano]
by Harold Noble (1903-) , "A tale of long ago", published 1955. [SATB chorus a cappella]
by George Norman Peterkin (1886-?) , "A tragic story", published 1951. [two-part chorus (soprano, mezzo-soprano) and piano]
by Joseph Roff (1910-1993) , "A tragic story", published 1958. [soprano, tenor, or baritone solo, four-part chorus (SATBar), and piano]
by David D. Slater , "A tragic tale", published 1899. [voice and piano]
by Peter Andrew Tranchell (1922-) , "A tragic story", 1962, first performed 1962 [SATB chorus with divisi a cappella], from Thackeray Ditties, no. 1.
by Joseph Wardale , "The pigtail", published 1956. [SSS chorus and piano]

by Edward Hartenfels , "Tragische Geschichte"
by Hans Erich Pfitzner (1869-1949) , "Tragische Geschichte", op. 22 no. 2 (1907).
by Joseph (Gabriel) Rheinberger (1839-1901) , "Tragische Geschichte", op. 44 (Drei vierstimmige Männerchöre) no. 3 (1869). [TTBB chorus]
by Johann Vesque von Püttlingen (1803-1883) , "Der Zopf", op. 47 no. 6 (1844-51?)

Date added to the website: 2007-10-01.

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