Leisure

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time, to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like stars at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

by William Henry Davies (1871-1940) , "Leisure", from Songs of Joy and Others, published 1911

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

by Arthur Edward Drummond Bliss, Sir (1891-1975) , "Leisure", 1923, rev. 1972, from Three songs, no. 3.
by Harold Greenhill , "Leisure" [unison voices], note: may be wrong text
by Alfred Kunz (1929-) , "Leisure", published 1972 [TTBB and piano], from Three Works for Male Chorus, no. ?
by Eric Leigh , "Leisure", published 1960. [two-part canon of equal voices and piano]
by Robin Humphrey Milford (1903-1959) , "Leisure", published 1930 [two-part chorus of children's voices and piano], from Rain, Wind, and Sunshine, no. ?
by Merle Montgomery (1900-) , "Leisure", published 1951 [SSATBB chorus a cappella], note: may be wrong text
by Barbara Pentland (1912-) , "Leisure", 1938. [three-part chorus a cappella]

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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Sheet music:

  Search sheetmusicplus.com for Leisure, Art song , Lieder, chansons, or works for solo voice
  Search musicroom.com for Leisure, vocal/choral music

CDs:

  Search amazon.com for Leisure, art song, Lieder, or chansons
  Search amazon.ca for Leisure, 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