Dirge (Bridges, set by C. Parry) (The Lied and Art Song Texts Page: Texts and Translations to Lieder, mélodies, canzoni, and other classical vocal music)


Bass solo
 To me, to me, fair-hearted Goddess, come!
 To sorrow, come!
 Where by the grave I linger, dumb.
 With sorrow bow thine head,
 For all my beauty is dead.
 Leave Freedom's vaunt, leave happy thought awhile,
 Content thee with the solemn style of heav'nly peace.
 Thou only canst console, 
 Thou canst the eternal clouds unroll.
 Speak thou, my griefs, that so from pain
 My spirit yet may rise to love again 
 The Truth unknown that keeps our faith; 
 The Beauty unseen that bates our breath; 
 The Heav'n that doth our joys renew, 
 And drinketh up our tears as dew. 
 Lament, fair-hearted Queen, lament with me 
 For when thy Seer died no song was sung;
 Nor for thy heroes slain by land or sea 
 Hath honour found a tongue. 
 They died unsung, uncrown'd - 
 And no memorial found,
 Nor aught of beauty can we frame 
 Worthy their noble name. 
 Let idle Mirth go bare, make mute the dancing string, 
 Adorn with thy majestic consolation 
 Our mortal suffering, lest from our pain
 We ne'er arise to see again 
 The Truth unknown that keeps our faith; 
 The Beauty unseen that bates our breath; 
 The Heav'n that doth our joys renew, 
 And drinketh up our tears as dew.

Authorship

Robert Seymour Bridges (1844-1930)

Invocation to Music

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

Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry (1848-1918)

Invocation to music - An Ode in Honour of Henry Purcell

Date added to the website: 2009-07-30.

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