A pearl, a girl

A simple ring with a single stone,
    To the vulgar eye no stone of price:
Whisper the right word, that alone -- 
    Forth starts a sprite, like fire from ice,
And lo, you are lord (says an Eastern scroll)
Of heaven and earth, lord whole and sole
    Through the power in a pearl.

A woman ('tis I this time that say)
    With little the world counts worthy praise
Utter the true word -- out and away
    Escapes her soul: I am wrapt in blaze,
Creation's lord, of heaven and earth
Lord whole and sole -- by a minute's birth -- 
    Through the love in a girl!

by Robert Browning (1812-1889) , "A pearl, a girl", from Asolando: Fancies and Facts, published 1889

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 Granville Ransome Bantock (1868-1946) , "A pearl, a girl", 1920, published 1921 [voice and piano], from Dramatic Lyrics Set II, no. 3.
by George Waring Stebbins (1869-1930) , "The heart of a pearl" [voice and piano]

Date added to the website: 2009-02-26.

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Sheet music:

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CDs:

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Books:

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  The Book of Lieder: The Original Texts of Over 1000 Songs [amazon.com]
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Classical Vocal Repertoire