Bahnhofstrasse

The eyes that mock me sign the way
Whereto I pass at eve of day,

Grey way whose violet signals are
The trysting and the twining star.

Ah star of evil! star of pain!
Highhearted youth comes not again

Nor old heart's wisdom yet to know
The signs that mock me as I go.

by James Joyce (1882-1941) , "Bahnhofstrasse", 1918, from Pomes Penyeach, no. 12

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

by Stanley Richard Bate (1913-1959) , "Bahnhofstrasse", published 1951 [low voice and piano], from Five Songs, no. ?
by David Del Tredici (1937-) , "Bahnhofstrasse", 1959, rev. 1978, first performed 1983, from Two Songs on Poems of James Joyce, no. 1.
by Robin Field (1935-) , "The eyes that mock me sign the way", 1967 [tenor, oboe, and string quartet], from The sly reeds whisper, no. ?
by John Gruen (1927-) , "Bahnhofstrasse" [voice and piano]
by Charles Wilfred Orr (1893-1976) , "Bahnhofstrasse", published 1933 [tenor and piano], from The Joyce Book, no. 12.

FRE French (Guy Laffaille)

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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