by Thomas Moore (1779 - 1852)
Maltese Air
Language: English
Gayly sounds the Castanet, Beating time to bounding feet, When, after daylight's golden set, Maids and youth by moonlight meet. Oh! then, how sweet to move Thro' all that maze of mirth, Lighted by those eyes we love, Beyond all eyes on earth. Then, the joyous banquet spread On the cool and fragrant ground, With night's bright eye beams overhead, And still brighter sparkling round. Oh! then, how sweet to say Into the lov'd one's ear, Thoughts reserv'd through many a day, To be thus whisper'd there. When the dance and feast are done Arm in arm as home we stray, How sweet to see the dawning sun O'er her cheek's warm blushes play! Then, then the farewell kiss, And words whose parting tone Lingers still in dreams of bliss That haunt young hearts alone.
Confirmed with The Works of Thomas Moore, Esq., complete in six volumes, first American edition, New York: G. Smith, 1825. Appears in Volume IV: Melodies, in National Airs, pages 272 - 273.
Authorship:
- by Thomas Moore (1779 - 1852), "Maltese Air", appears in National Airs [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Konrad Wilhelm Adolf Laun (1808 - 1881) , "Maltesische Arie" ; composed by Wilhelm Heiser.
Researcher for this page: Melanie Trumbull
This text was added to the website: 2020-03-17
Line count: 24
Word count: 135