Strings in the earth and air Make music sweet; Strings by the river where The willows meet. There's music along the river [For Love wanders there,]1 Pale [flowers]1 on his mantle, Dark leaves on his hair. All softly playing, With head to [the]3 music bent, And fingers straying Upon an instrument.
Seven Poems by James Joyce
Song Cycle by Ernest John Moeran (1894 - 1950)
1. Strings in the earth and air  [sung text not yet checked]
Authorship:
- by James Joyce (1882 - 1941), appears in Chamber Music, no. 1, first published 1907
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
1 not set by Berio.
2 Coulthard: "flow'rs"
3 omitted by Coulthard
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
2. The merry green wood  [sung text not yet checked]
Who goes amid the green wood With springtide all adorning her? Who goes amid the meny green wood To make it merrier? Who passes in the sunlight By ways that know the light footfall? Who passes in the sweet sunlight With mien so virginal? The ways of all the woodland Gleam with a soft and golden fire? For whom does all the sunny woodland Carry so brave attire? O, it is for my true love The woods their rich apparel wear O, it is for my own true love, That is so young and fair.
Authorship:
- by James Joyce (1882 - 1941), appears in Chamber Music, no. 8, first published 1907
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
3. Bright cap  [sung text not yet checked]
Bright cap and streamers, He sings in the hollow: Come follow, come follow, All you that love. Leave dreams to the dreamers That will not after, That song and laughter Do nothing move. With ribbons streaming He sings the bolder; In troop at his shoulder The wild bees hum. And the time of dreaming Dreams is over-- As lover to lover, Sweetheart, I come.
Authorship:
- by James Joyce (1882 - 1941), no title, appears in Chamber Music, no. 10, first published 1907
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
4. The pleasant valley  [sung text not yet checked]
O cool is the valley now And there, love, will we go For many a choir is singing now Where Love did sometime go. And hear you not the thrushes calling, Calling us away? O cool and pleasant is the valley And there, love, will we stay.
Authorship:
- by James Joyce (1882 - 1941), no title, appears in Chamber Music, no. 16, first published 1907
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
5. Donnycarney  [sung text not yet checked]
O, it was out by Donnycarney When the bat flew from tree to tree My love and I did walk together; And sweet were the words she said to me. Along with us the summer wind Went murmuring - O, happily! - But softer than the breath of summer Was the kiss she gave to me.
Authorship:
- by James Joyce (1882 - 1941), no title, appears in Chamber Music, no. 31, first published 1907
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
6. Rain has fallen  [sung text not yet checked]
Rain has fallen all the day. O come among the laden trees: The leaves lie thick upon the way Of [mem'ries.]1 Staying a little by the way Of [mem'ries]1 shall we depart. Come, my beloved, where I may Speak to your heart.
Authorship:
- by James Joyce (1882 - 1941), appears in Chamber Music, no. 32, first published 1907
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- GER German (Deutsch) (Walter Riemer) , "Es hat geregnet", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- SPA Spanish (Español) (Sol Crespo) , copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
1 Szymanowski: "memories"
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
7. Now, O now, in this brown land  [sung text not yet checked]
Now, O now, in this brown land Where Love did so sweet music make We two shall wander, hand in hand, Forbearing for old friendship' sake, Nor grieve because our love was gay Which now is ended in this way. A rogue in red and yellow dress Is knocking, knocking at the tree; And all around our loneliness The wind is whistling merrily. The leaves -- - they do not sigh at all When the year takes them in the fall. Now, O now, we hear no more The vilanelle and roundelay! Yet will we kiss, sweetheart, before We take sad leave at close of day. Grieve not, sweetheart, for anything -- - The year, the year is gathering.
Authorship:
- by James Joyce (1882 - 1941), no title, appears in Chamber Music, no. 33, first published 1907
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission