When our two souls stand up erect and...

When our two souls stand up erect and strong,
Face to face, silent, drawing nigh and nigher,
Until the lengthening wings break into fire
At either curvëd point, -- what bitter wrong
Can the earth do to us, that we should not long
Be here contented?  Think!  In mounting higher,
The angels would press on us and aspire
To drop some golden orb of perfect song
Into our deep, dear silence.  Let us stay
Rather on earth, Belovëd, -- where the unfit
Contrarious moods of men recoil away
And isolate pure spirits, and permit
A place to stand and love in for a day,
With darkness and the death-hour rounding it.

by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861) , no title, from Poems, in Sonnets from the Portuguese, no. 22, 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 Celius Dougherty (1902-1986) , "When our two souls stand up erect and strong", 1975 [soprano and piano], from Eglantine and Ivy, no. ?
by Eleanor Everest Freer (1864-1942) , "When our two souls stand up erect and strong", published 1910 [medium voice and piano], from Sonnets from the Portuguese, no. 22.
by William Arthur Goldsworthy (1878-1966) , "When our two souls stand up erect and strong", published 1932 [alto and piano], from How Do I Love Thee, no. ?
by Fritz Bennicke Hart (1874-1949) , "When our two souls", op. 116 (Three Sonnets) no. 3 (1935). [voice and piano]
by (Charles) Alfred de Kaiser (1872-1917) , "United", published 1912 [soprano and tenor duet with piano], from Seven Sonnets from the Portuguese, no. ?
by Michael Alexander Kimbell (1946-) , "When our two souls stand up erect and strong", 1965-6, first performed 1966 [soprano and piano], from Three Sonnets from the Portuguese, no. ?
by Reginald Chauncey Robbins (1871-1955) , "Sonnet from the Portuguese", published 1923. [medium-low voice and piano]
by Carlos Surinach (1915-) , "Our two souls", published 1966 [voice and piano], from Flamenco Meditations, no. ?
by (James) Healey Willan (1880-1968) , "Sonnet", published 1925 [high voice and piano], from Healy Willan Song Album, no. 1
by Arthur Wills (1926-) , "Sonnet", 1975. [soprano, clarinet, and piano]

GER German (Rainer Maria Rilke)

Date added to the website: 2008-07-24.

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