Excelsior

The shades of night were falling fast,
As through an Alpine village passed
A youth, who bore, 'mid snow and ice,
A banner with the strange device,
       Excelsior! 
His brow was sad; his eye beneath,
Flashed like a falchion from its sheath,
And like a silver clarion rung
The accents of that unknown tongue,
       Excelsior! 
In happy homes he saw the light
Of household fires gleam warm and bright;
Above, the spectral glaciers shone,
And from his lips escaped a groan,
       Excelsior! 
"Try not the Pass!" the old man said;
"Dark lowers the tempest overhead,
The roaring torrent is deep and wide!
And loud that clarion voice replied,
       Excelsior! 
"Oh stay," the maiden said, "and rest
Thy weary head upon this breast!"
A tear stood in his bright blue eye,
But still he answered, with a sigh,
       Excelsior! 
"Beware the pine-tree's withered branch!
Beware the awful avalanche!"
This was the peasant's last Good-night,
A voice replied, far up the height,
        Excelsior! 
At break of day, as heavenward
The pious monks of Saint Bernard
Uttered the oft-repeated prayer,
A voice cried through the startled air,
       Excelsior! 
A traveller, by the faithful hound,
Half-buried in the snow was found,
Still grasping in his hand of ice
That banner with the strange device,
       Excelsior! 
There in the twilight cold and gray,
Lifeless, but beautiful, he lay,
And from the sky, serene and far,
A voice fell, like a falling star,
       Excelsior!

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) , "Excelsior", from Ballads and Other Poems, published 1842

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

by Michael William Balfe (1808-1870) , "Excelsior", published >>1858. [tenor, baritone, and piano (or soprano, contralto, and piano); also arranged by George B. Nevin for men's chorus]
by Francesco Berger (1834-1933) , "Excelsior", published >>1877. [trio: soprano, contralto, baritone, and piano]
by William Henry Birch (1826-1888) , "Excelsior", published 1881. [partsong: SATB a cappella]
by Joseph Bird , "Excelsior"
by John Blockley (1800-1882) , "Excelsior" [voice and piano (or duet with piano)]
by Corbett S. Catty , "Excelsior" [voice and piano]
by Frederick William Clarke (1852-1883) , "Excelsior" [voice and piano], from Album of Songs
by Stephen Ralph Glover (1812-1870) , "Excelsior", published 1844-57.
by Robert Goldbeck (1839-1908) , "Excelsior", published 1885.
by John Liptrot Hatton (1809-1886) , "Excelsior", published 186-? [voice and piano]
by Nicholas Heins , "Excelsior" [voice and piano]
by Hutchinson Family , "Excelsior", published 1843. [partsong: SATB and piano]
by Maria Lindsay , "Excelsior", published 1844-57. [voice and piano]
by Robert H. Lyon , "Excelsior" [voice and piano]
by Jules Normann , "Excelsior", published 186-? [voice and piano]
by George Peabody , "Excelsior", published 1884.
by Charles Callahan Perkins (1823-1886) , "Excelsior" [voice and piano], also set in French
by Ciro Pinsuti (1829-1888) , "Excelsior" [voice and piano]
by (George) Alexander Russell (1880-1953) , "Excelsior" [voice and piano]
by Peter August Schnecker (1850-1903) , "Excelsior", published 1910. [ballad: SATB school chorus, piano, organ, and cathedral chimes ad libitum]
by H. G. Spaulding , "Upidee", published 1859 [choral], arrangement
by A. H. Thouless (?-c1893) , "Excelsior" [voice and piano], from Album of Ten Songs
by James Tilleard (1827-1876) , "Excelsior" [voice and piano]

by Charles Callahan Perkins (1823-1886) , "Excelsior" [voice and piano], also set in English

Date added to the website: 2008-06-10.

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