by Joanna Baillie (1762 - 1851)
Translation Singable translation by Georg Pertz (1830 - 1870)
Sweet power of song
Language: English
Sweet power of Song! That canst impart, To lowland swain or mountaineers, A gladness thrilling trough the heart, A joy so tender and so dear: Sweet Power! That on a foreign strand Canst the rough soldier's bosom move, With feelings of his native land, As gentle as infant's love. Sweet Power! That makes youthful heads With thistle, leek, or shamrock crown'd, Nod proudly as the carol sheds Its spirit through the social round. Sweet Power! That cheer's the daily toil Of cottage maid, or beldame poor, The ploughman on the furrow'd soil, Or herdboy on the lonely moor. Or he, by bards the shepherd hight, Who mourns his maiden's broken tye, 'Till the sweet plaint, in woe's despite, Hath made a bliss of agony. Sweet power of Song! Thanks flow to thee From every kind and gentle breast! Let Erin's Cambria's minstrels be With Burn's tuneful spirit blest!
Authorship:
- by Joanna Baillie (1762 - 1851), "Sweet power of Song!" [author's text not yet checked 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):
- by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827), "Sweet power of song", WoO. 152 (25 irische Lieder) no. 2, G. 223 no. 2 (1810/3) [ vocal duet with violin, violoncello, and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- GER German (Deutsch) [singable] (Georg Pertz) , "Gesangesmacht"
Researcher for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani
This text was added to the website: 2004-12-10
Line count: 24
Word count: 148
Gesangesmacht
Language: German (Deutsch)  after the English
Gesangesmacht! Du schleichst dich ein, Geheimnisvoll in jede Brust, Entzückensschauer ihr zu weihn, In ihr zu wecken sanfte Lust. Gesang, du, der auf fremden strand Des rauen Kriegers Busen rührt, Zum Traum vom lieben Heimatland Ihn sanft wie Kindesliebe führt. Du, der die Stirn der Kinderschar Mit Distel, Lauch und Kleeblatt krönt Und stolz sie nicken lasst das Haar Zum Takt des Lieds, das lüstig tönt. Der Trost dem armen Mütterlein Zum sauren Tagwerk haucht ins Ohr, Dem Pflüger auf durchfurchtem Hain, Dem Hirtenkind auf ödem Moor. Dem Schäfer, dessen Herz verzagt In hoffnungsloser Liebe glimmt, Bis du so süß sein Weh beklagst, Daß Leid in Seligkeit verschwimmt. Gesangesmacht! Dank strömt dir zu Von jedem Busen sanft und rein; Laß Irlands, Englands Sänger du Gleich Burns mit Geist gesegnet sein!
Authorship:
- Singable translation by Georg Pertz (1830 - 1870), "Gesangesmacht" [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by Joanna Baillie (1762 - 1851), "Sweet power of Song!"
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 ]
Researcher for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani
This text was added to the website: 2004-12-10
Line count: 24
Word count: 131