These are the days when birds come back

These are the days when Birds come back --
A very few -- a Bird or two --
To take a backward look.

These are the days when skies resume
The old -- old sophistries of June --
A blue and gold mistake.

Oh fraud that cannot cheat the Bee --
Almost thy plausibility
Induces my belief.

Till ranks of seeds their witness bear --
And softly thro' the altered air
Hurries a timid leaf.

Oh Sacrament of summer days,
Oh Last Communion in the Haze --
Permit a child to join.

Thy sacred emblems to partake --
They consecrated bread to take
And thine immortal wine!

by Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) , no title, published 1890

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

by Rudolf Escher (1912-1980) , "These are the days when birds come back", 1955, published 1956 [7-10 mixed voices], from Songs of Love and Eternity, no. 1.
by William Ferris , "Indian summer", published 1979. [SATB, piano]
by Ulysses Simpson Kay (1917-1995) , "Indian summer", published 1964 [SSA chorus and piano], from Emily Dickinson Set, no. ?
by George Frederick McKay (1899-1970) , "Indian summer", published 1967. [chorus: SSA, piano]
by Thomas Pasatieri (1945-) , "These are the days", published 1977. [high voice, piano]
by George Perle (1915-) , "These are the days when birds come back" [voice and piano], from Thirteen Dickinson Songs, no. ?
by Daniel Pinkham (1923-) , "These are the days when birds come back", published 1974 [medium voice and electronic tape], from Safe in their Alabaster Chambers, no. ?

FRE French (Guy Laffaille)

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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Sheet music:

  Search sheetmusicplus.com for Indian summer, These are the days when birds come back, These are the days, Art song , Lieder, chansons, or works for solo voice
  Search musicroom.com for Indian summer, These are the days when birds come back, These are the days, vocal/choral music

CDs:

  Search amazon.com for Indian summer, These are the days when birds come back, These are the days, art song, Lieder, or chansons
  Search amazon.ca for Indian summer, These are the days when birds come back, These are the days, 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