Wanting is ‑‑ what?

Wanting is -- what?
Summer redundant,
Blueness abundant,
 -- Where is the blot?
Beamy the world, yet a blank all the same,
 -- Framework which waits for a picture to frame:
What of the leafage, what of the flower?
Roses embowering with nought they embower!
Come then, complete incompletion, O comer,
Pant through the blueness, perfect the summer!
Breathe but one breath
Rose-beauty above.
And all that was death
Grows life, grows love,
Grows love!

by Robert Browning (1812-1889) , from Jocoseria, Prologue, published 1883

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) , "Wanting is -- what?", 1921, published 1922 [voice and piano], from Dramatic Lyrics Set III, no. 1.
by Sir Arnold Edward Trevor Bax (1883-1953) , "Wanting is -- what?", 1900. [voice and piano]
by Beatrice Forster , "Wanting is -- what?", published c1902? [high voice and piano]
by Edwin Gerschefski (1909-) , "Wanting is what?", copyright © 1961. [high voice and piano]
by Margaret A. Halley , "To perfect the summer", published 1907 [voice and piano], from Two songs, no. ?
by Marshall Rutgers Kernochan (1880-1955) , "Wanting is -- what?", published 1908. [high voice and piano]

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

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 To perfect the summer, Wanting is -- what, Wanting is what, Art song , Lieder, chansons, or works for solo voice
  Search musicroom.com for To perfect the summer, Wanting is -- what, Wanting is what, vocal/choral music

CDs:

  Search amazon.com for To perfect the summer, Wanting is -- what, Wanting is what, art song, Lieder, or chansons
  Search amazon.ca for To perfect the summer, Wanting is -- what, Wanting is what, 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