At parting

For a day and a night Love sang to us, played with us,
Folded us round from the dark and the light;
And our hearts were fulfilled of the music he made with us,
Made with our hearts and our lips while he stayed with us,
Stayed in mid passage his pinions from flight
For a day and a night.

From his foes that kept watch with his wings had he hidden us,
Covered us close from the eyes that would smite,
From the feet that had tracked and the tongues that had chidden us
Sheltering in shade of the myrtles forbidden us
Spirit and flesh growing one with delight
For a day and a night.

But his wings will not rest and his feet will not stay for us:
Morning is here in the joy of its might;
With his breath has he sweetened a night and a day for us:
Now let him pass, and the myrtles make way for us;
Love can but last in us here at his height
For a day and a night.

by Algernon Charles Swinburne (1837-1909) , "At parting", from Poems and Ballads, Second Series

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

by Roland Farley (1892-1932) , "For a day and a night", <<1932. [voice and piano]
by Victor Harris (1869-1943) , "A day, a night", published <<1940. [voice and piano]
by Norman Houston O'Neill (1882-1964) , "Before dawn", 1917. [women's chorus and orchestra]

Date added to the website: 2009-01-27.

Gentle Reminder

This project is not funded. If you found the information here useful, please consider making a donation. Your gift is greatly appreciated!      - Emily I also have a wishlist at Amazon.ca.

Search/Shop for

Sheet music:

  Search sheetmusicplus.com for A day, a night, Before dawn, For a day and a night, Art song , Lieder, chansons, or works for solo voice
  Search musicroom.com for A day, a night, Before dawn, For a day and a night, vocal/choral music

CDs:

  Search amazon.com for A day, a night, Before dawn, For a day and a night, art song, Lieder, or chansons
  Search amazon.ca for A day, a night, Before dawn, For a day and a night, 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