Hesperus (Stephens, set by F. May) (The Lied and Art Song Texts Page: Texts and Translations to Lieder, mélodies, canzoni, and other classical vocal music)


Upon the sober sky thy robes are spread, 
They drape the twilight, veil on quiet veil, 
Until the lingering daylight all has fled 
Before thee, modest goddess, shadow-pale : 
The hushed and reverent sky 
Her diadem of stars has lifted high. 
The tender lamb, the bleating kid, the fawn, 
All that the sunburnt day has scattered wide, 
Thou dost regather, holding till the dawn 
Each flower and tree and beast unto thy side : 
The sheep come to the pen, 
The dreams come to the men, 
And to the mother's breast 
The tired child doth come and take his rest. 
Evening gathers everything 
Scattered by the morning,
Fold for sheep and nest for wing, 
Evening gathers everything, 
Child to mother, queen to king 
Running at thy warning ; 
Evening gathers everything 
Scattered by the morning.

Authorship

James Stephens (1882-1950)

Songs from the Clay

Based on

text

Sappho (fl. c610-c580 BCE)

ITA

GER

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

Frederick May (1911-)

Set in Italian, a translation of Salvatore Quasimodo (1901-1968) ENG ITA GER

Luigi Dallapiccola (1904-1975)

Cinque Frammenti di Saffo

Set in English, adapted by Helen Maude Francesca Bantock (von Schweizer) (1868-?) ENG ITA GER

Sir Granville Ransome Bantock (1868-1946)

Sappho: Prelude and Nine Fragments

Set in German, a translation of Raoul Schrott ENG ITA GER

Andrea Lorenzo Scartazzini (1971-)

Sappho-Lieder

Date added to the website: 2009-01-22.

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