Sleep brings no joy to me

Sleep brings no joy to me,
Remembrance never dies;
My soul is given to misery,
And lives in sighs.

Sleep brings no rest to me;
The shadows of the dead,
My wakening eyes may never see,
Surround my bed.

Sleep brings no hope to me;
In soundest sleep they come,
And with their doleful imagery
Deepen the gloom.

Sleep brings no strength to me,
No power renewed to brave:
I only sail a wilder sea,
A darker wave.

Sleep brings no friend to me
To soothe and aid to bear;
They all gaze on - how scornfully!
And I despair.

by Emily Brontë (1818-1848) , no title, from Poems by Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Brontë Now for the First Time Printed, published 1902

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

by John Joubert (1927-) , "Sleep", published 1971 [high voice and piano], from Six Poems of Emily Brontë, no. ?
by Elizabeth Maconchy (1907-1994) , "Sleep brings no joy to me", 1937.
by Robert Owens , "Sleep brings no joy", op. 18 (3 Songs) no. 3. [low voice and piano]
by Nick Peros , "Sleep brings no joy to me"

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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Sheet music:

  Search sheetmusicplus.com for Sleep brings no joy, Sleep, Sleep brings no joy to me, Art song , Lieder, chansons, or works for solo voice
  Search musicroom.com for Sleep brings no joy, Sleep, Sleep brings no joy to me, vocal/choral music

CDs:

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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