Hapless doom of woman happy in...

Hapless doom of woman happy in betrothing,
Beauty passes like a breath and love is lost in loathing;
  Low! my lute: 
Speak low, but say the world is nothing.
  Low! lute, low!

Love will hover round the flowers when they first awaken;
Love will fly the fallen leaf, and not be overtaken;
  Low, my lute! 
O low, my lute! we fade and are forsaken.
  Low, dear lute, low!

by Lord Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892) , no title, from Queen Mary, Act V, scene 2, published 1875

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

by Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934) , "Queen Mary's Song", 1892, published 1907, first performed 1897 [voice and piano], from Seven Lieder of Edward Elgar, no. 2, note: first published separately in 1892, also set in German
by Horatio William Parker (1863-1919) , "Lute-Song", published 1904 [medium voice and piano], from Two Songs from Tennyson's "Queen Mary", no. 1.

by Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934) , "Maria Stuart's Lied zur Laute", 1892, published 1907, first performed 1897 [voice and piano], from Seven Lieder of Edward Elgar, no. 2, also set in English

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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Maria Stuart's Lied zur Laute

Glücklos Schicksal des Weibes,
        Glücklich nur im Wähnen,
Schönheit schwindet wie ein Hauch
        Und Lieb' vergeht in Tränen :
    Leis', mein Spiel !
Tön' leis, o leis, mein Spiel, doch sag der Welt mein Sehnen.
    Sanft! Laute, sanft !

Liebe schützt die zarten Keime,
        Wenn sie Wurzel fassen ;
Liebe flieht die welken Blüten,
        Wenn Farb' und Leben blassen ;
    Leis', mein Spiel !
Tön' leis, o leis, mein Spiel! Verwelkt sind wir verlassen.
    Sanft, o Laute, sanft !

Singable translation by Ed. Sachs

a text in English by Lord Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892) , no title, from Queen Mary, Act V, scene 2, published 1875

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

by Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934) , "Maria Stuart's Lied zur Laute", 1892, published 1907, first performed 1897 [voice and piano], from Seven Lieder of Edward Elgar, no. 2, also set in English

Date added to the website: 2008-08-28.