The old clock on the stairs

Somewhat back from the village street
Stands the old-fashioned country-seat.
Across its antique portico
Tall poplar-trees their shadows throw;
And from its station in the hall
An ancient timepiece says to all, --
      "Forever -- never!
      Never -- forever!" 

Half-way up the stairs it stands,
And points and beckons with its hands
From its case of massive oak,
Like a monk, who, under his cloak,
Crosses himself, and sighs, alas!
With sorrowful voice to all who pass, --
      "Forever -- never!
      Never -- forever!" 

By day its voice is low and light;
But in the silent dead of night,
Distinct as a passing footstep's fall,
It echoes along the vacant hall,
Along the ceiling, along the floor,
And seems to say, at each chamber-door, --
      "Forever -- never!
      Never -- forever!" 

Through days of sorrow and of mirth,
Through days of death and days of birth,
Through every swift vicissitude
Of changeful time, unchanged it has stood,
And as if, like God, it all things saw,
It calmly repeats those words of awe, --
      "Forever -- never!
      Never -- forever!" 

In that mansion used to be
Free-hearted Hospitality;
His great fires up the chimney roared;
The stranger feasted at his board;
But, like the skeleton at the feast,
That warning timepiece never ceased, --
      "Forever -- never!
      Never -- forever!" 

There groups of merry children played,
There youths and maidens dreaming strayed;
O precious hours! O golden prime,
And affluence of love and time!
Even as a Miser counts his gold,
Those hours the ancient timepiece told, --
      "Forever -- never!
      Never -- forever!" 

From that chamber, clothed in white,
The bride came forth on her wedding night;
There, in that silent room below,
The dead lay in his shroud of snow;
And in the hush that followed the prayer,
Was heard the old clock on the stair, --
      "Forever -- never!
      Never -- forever!" 

All are scattered now and fled,
Some are married, some are dead;
And when I ask, with throbs of pain.
"Ah! when shall they all meet again?"
As in the days long since gone by,
The ancient timepiece makes reply, --
      "Forever -- never!
      Never -- forever! 

Never here, forever there,
Where all parting, pain, and care,
And death, and time shall disappear, --
Forever there, but never here!
The horologe of Eternity
Sayeth this incessantly, --
      "Forever -- never!
      Never -- forever!"

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) , "The old clock on the stairs", from The Belfry of Bruges and Other Poems, published 1846

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

by (Mary) Frances Allitsen, née Bumpus (1848-1912) , "Old clock on the stairs", published 1896. [voice and piano]
by John Blockley (1800-1882) , "The old clock on the stairs" [voice and piano]
by Francis Boott (1813-1904) , "The old clock on the stairs", published 1886. [voice and piano]
by T. Bricher , "The old clock on the stairs", published 1846. [voice and piano]
by John George Callcott (1821-1895) , "The old clock on the stairs" [partsong for SATB and piano ad libitum]
by Lady Henry Carew , "The old clock on the stairs" [voice and piano]
by Ellen Dickson (1819-1878) , "Old clock on the stairs", published >>1854, under the pseudonym "Dolores"
by John Liptrot Hatton (1809-1886) , "The old clock on the stairs", published 184-? [voice and piano]
by Edward Laurence Hime (1823-) , "The old clock on the stairs" [voice and piano]
by John Wallace Hutchinson (1821-1908) , "The old clock on the stairs", published 1891. [medium voice and piano]
by Agnes Landon , "The old clock on the stairs" [voice and piano]
by Maria Lindsay , "The old clock on the stairs" [voice and piano]
by Leonard Babbidge Marshall (1847-?) , "The old timepiece on the stairs", published >>1857.
by George W. Marston (1840-1901) , "Old clock on the stairs", published 1881. [voice and piano]
by William Henry Montgomery (1811?-1886) , "The old clock on the stairs" [voice and piano]
by Frederic Henry Pease (1839-1909) , "The old clock on the stairs", published 1876. [cantata: quartet and chorus of mixed voices]
by Robert August Stöpel (1821-1887) , "The old clock on the stairs", published 186-? [voice and piano]
by Marie Trannack , "The old clock", published 1891. [voice and piano]
by William Michael Watson (1840-1889) , "The old timepiece" [voice and piano]

Date added to the website: 2008-06-20.

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 The old clock, The old timepiece, The old timepiece on the stairs, The old clock on the stairs, Old clock on the stairs, Art song , Lieder, chansons, or works for solo voice
  Search musicroom.com for The old clock, The old timepiece, The old timepiece on the stairs, The old clock on the stairs, Old clock on the stairs, vocal/choral music

CDs:

  Search amazon.com for The old clock, The old timepiece, The old timepiece on the stairs, The old clock on the stairs, Old clock on the stairs, art song, Lieder, or chansons
  Search amazon.ca for The old clock, The old timepiece, The old timepiece on the stairs, The old clock on the stairs, Old clock on the stairs, 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