Sweet Springtime (Evans, set by C. Stanford) (The Lied and Art Song Texts Page: Texts and Translations to Lieder, mélodies, canzoni, and other classical vocal music)


It was in the prime
Of the sweet Spring-time
  In the linnet's throat
  Trembled the love-note,
And the love-stirred air
Thrilled the blossoms there.
  Little shadows danced,
    Each a tiny elf,
  Happy in large light
    And the thinnest self. 

It was but a minute
  In a far-off Spring,
  But each gentle thing,
Sweetly-wooing linnet,
  Soft-thrilled hawthorn-tree,
    Happy shadowy elf,
    With the thinnest self,
  Live [still on]¹ in me.
[O the sweet, sweet prime]²
Of the past Spring-time!

View text without footnotes
¹ Stanford: "on still"
² Stanford: "It was in the prime"

Input by Ted Perry

Authorship

Mary Ann Evans (1819-1880)

The Spanish Gypsy

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 Villiers Stanford (1852-1924)

Eight songs from "The Spanish Gypsy"

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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.