Indeed this very love which is my boast

Indeed this very love which is my boast,
And which, when rising up from breast to brow,
Doth crown me with a ruby large enow
To draw men's eyes and prove the inner cost, -- 
This love even, all my worth, to the uttermost,
I should not love withal, unless that thou
Hadst set me an example, shown me how,
When first thine earnest eyes with mine were crossed,
And love called love.  And thus, I cannot speak
Of love even, as a good thing of my own:
Thy soul hath snatched up mine all faint and weak,
And placed it by thee on a golden throne, -- 
And that I love (O soul, we must be meek!)
Is by thee only, whom I love alone.

by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861) , no title, from Poems, in Sonnets from the Portuguese, no. 12, published 1847

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

by Louis Cheslock (1898-1981) , "Indeed this very love which is my boast" [mezzo-soprano or tenor and piano]
by Eleanor Everest Freer (1864-1942) , "Indeed this very love which is my boast", published 1910 [medium voice and piano], from Sonnets from the Portuguese, no. 12.
by Bernard James Naylor (1907-1986) , "Indeed this very love which is my boast", 1948, first performed 1955 [mezzo-soprano and string quartet], from Sonnets from the Portuguese, no. ?

GER German (Rainer Maria Rilke)

Date added to the website: 2008-07-23.

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 Indeed this very love which is my boast, Art song , Lieder, chansons, or works for solo voice
  Search musicroom.com for Indeed this very love which is my boast, vocal/choral music

CDs:

  Search amazon.com for Indeed this very love which is my boast, art song, Lieder, or chansons
  Search amazon.ca for Indeed this very love which is my boast, 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