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


Should I long that dark were fair? 
Say, O song!
Lacks my love aught, that I should long?

Dark the night, with breath all flow'rs
And tender broken voice that fills
With ravishment the listening hours:
Whisperings, wooings,
Liquid ripples, and soft ring-dove cooings
In low-toned rhythm that love's aching stills.
Dark the night, 
Yet is she bright,
For in her dark she brings the mystic star,
Trembling yet strong, as is the voice of love,
From some unknown afar.
O radiant dark! O darkly fostered ray!
Thou hast a joy too deep for shallow Day.

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.

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