Silently she's combing (Joyce, set by D. Arditti, T. Serly, G. Victory) (The Lied and Art Song Texts Page: Texts and Translations to Lieder, mélodies, canzoni, and other classical vocal music)


Silently she's combing, 
  Combing her long hair, 
Silently and graciously, 
  With many a pretty air. 

The sun is in the willow leaves 
  And on the dappled grass, 
And still she's combing her long hair 
  Before the looking-glass. 

I pray you, cease to comb out, 
  Comb out your long hair, 
For I have heard of witchery 
  Under a pretty air, 

That makes as one thing to the lover 
  Staying and going hence, 
All fair, with many a pretty air 
  And many a negligence.

Authorship

James Joyce (1882-1941)

Chamber Music

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

David Arditti (1964-)

Chamber Music

Tibor Serly (1901-1978)

Four Songs from "Chamber Music"

Gerard Victory (1921-)

Five Songs by James Joyce

Available translations (or transliterations, if applicable):

FRE

French

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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