Texts by W. Auden set in Art Songs and Choral Works
Text Collections:
- Another Time
- Delos
- For the Time Being
- Homage to Clip
- Look, Stranger!
- Markings
- Poems
- The Age of Anxiety: A Baroque Eclogue
- The Ascent of F6
- The Collected Poetry of W. H. Austen
- The Dog Beneath the Skin
- The Double Man
- The Shield of Achilles
- Two songs
Texts set in art song or choral works (not necessarily comprehensive):
Legend:
The symbol [x] indicates a placeholder for a text that is not yet in the database.
A * indicates that a text cannot (yet?) be displayed on this site because of its copyright status.
Special notes: All titles and first lines are included in this index, including those used by composers.
Titles used by the text author appear in boldface. First lines appear in italics.
A language code in a blue rectangle like ENG indicates that a translation to that language is available.
A grey rectangle like FRE indicates a particular translation (usually one set to music) exists but isn't yet available.
- Academic Graffiti (My first name, Wystan) (from Homage to Clip) - L. Smit
- A curse (Dark was that day when Diesel) - R. Escher
- A drink man, quick! (from Delos - Songs from Mutter Courage) [x] - F. Routh
- All the others translate [x] - D. Hagen, J. Lang-Hyde (The composer)
- Among the leaves the small birds sing (from The Shield of Achilles) - L. Berkeley, W. Mellers (Lauds)
- As I listened from a beach-chair in the shade - N. Rorem (Their lonely betters)
- As it is, plenty (As it is, plenty) (from Look, Stranger!) - B. Britten
- As it is, plenty (from Look, Stranger!) - B. Britten
- As I walked out one evening (As I walked out one evening) - G. Gibbs, J. Hall, E. Lutyens, N. Rorem
- As I walked out one evening - R. Bennett, G. Gibbs, J. Hall, E. Lutyens, N. Rorem (Song)
- A song for St. Cecilia's Day (I. In a garden shady this holy lady) - R. Warren
- At peace under this mandarin, sleep, Lucina - H. Henze
- At the manger (Berceuse triste) (O shut your bright eyes that mine must endanger) - S. Wilkinson [x]
- At the party (Unrhymed, unrhythmical, the chatter goes) - K. Schoonenbeek
- Babies in their mothers' arms (Infants in their mothers' arms) (from The Double Man) - L. Drakeford [x]
- Ballad: O What Is That Sound? (O what is that sound which so thrills the ear) - J. Beeson
- Ballad: O where are you going? (O where are you going? said reader to rider) - J. Beeson
- Ballad (O what is that sound which so thrills the ear)
- Before this loved one [x] - C. Duncan
- Calypso (Driver, drive faster and make a good run) (from Another Time) - B. Britten, J. Musto
- Canon (Released by love) (from For the Time Being) - N. Fulton [x]
- Canticle (O Unicorn among the cedars) - D. Young [x]
- Carry her over the water (Carry her over the water) - L. Berkeley, J. Cohn, P. Dickinson, G. Gibbs, M. Horder, J. Lang-Hyde, W. Rogers
- Carry her over the water - L. Berkeley, J. Cohn, P. Dickinson, G. Gibbs, M. Horder, J. Lang-Hyde, D. Pinkham, W. Rogers, R. Swift
- Chorale after an Old French Carol (Our fathers whose creative will asked being for us all) - B. Britten [x]
- Chorale (Our Father, whose creative Will) (from For the Time Being) - B. Britten [x]
- Clocks cannot tell our time of day (from The Double Man) - L. Foss, J. Hall
- Closing Hymn: Alive in a Moment () - D. Hagen [x]
- Cunarder Waltz (You were a great Cunarder, I) - L. Clair [x]
- Dark was that day when Diesel - R. Escher
- Dear, though the night is gone (Dear, though the night is gone) - J. Lang-Hyde, N. Rorem
- Dear, though the night is gone - J. Lang-Hyde, N. Rorem (The dream)
- Death's echo (O who can ever gaze his fill,") - J. Hall
- Driver, drive faster and make a good run (from Another Time) - B. Britten, J. Musto (Calypso)
- Earth, receive an honoured guest - E. Maconchy
- Elegy for J. F. K. (When a just man dies) - I. Stravinsky
- Epilogue and Funeral March (Our hunting fathers told the story) - B. Britten
- Epitaph on a tyrant (Perfection, of a kind, was what he was after) - R. Smith
- Epithalamium (Carry her over the water) - R. Swift
- Europe lies in the dark
- Everything is so strangely removed today (Everything is so strangely removed today) - A. Payne [x]
- Everything is so strangely removed today [x] - A. Payne
- Eyes look into the well (Eyes look into the well) - L. Berkeley, P. Dickinson, J. Lang-Hyde, R. Senator
- Eyes look into the well - L. Berkeley, P. Dickinson, J. Lang-Hyde, R. Senator
- Fish in the unruffled lakes (Fish in the unruffled lakes) - B. Britten, J. Lang-Hyde
- Fish in the unruffled lakes - B. Britten, J. Lang-Hyde
- Funeral Blues (Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone) (from The Ascent of F6) - B. Britten
- Happy ending (The silly fool, the silly fool) (from Poems) - P. Dickinson, C. Duncan [x]
- He disappeared in the dead of winter - E. Maconchy
- He is the way (He is the way) (from For the Time Being) - A. Bliss [x]
- He is the way (from For the Time Being) [x] - A. Bliss
- He was found by the Bureau of Statistics to be - D. Cohen (The unknown citizen)
- Holding the distance up before his face [x] - J. Lang-Hyde (The traveller)
- How foolish the man who does not raise FRE - S. Barber
- Hush-a-bye, Baby (from Delos - Songs from Mutter Courage) [x] - F. Routh (Lullaby)
- Hymn to St Cecilia (I. In a garden shady this holy lady) - B. Britten
- I cannot grow (I. In a garden shady this holy lady) - G. Gibbs, J. Lang-Hyde
- I cannot grow (Three songs for St. Cecilia's Day) - B. Britten, G. Gibbs, W. Graves, J. Lang-Hyde, as Lewis Hyde, R. Warren
- If I could tell you (Time will say nothing but I told you so) - R. Escher, J. Hall
- I. In a garden shady this holy lady - B. Britten, G. Gibbs, W. Graves, J. Lang-Hyde, R. Warren (Three songs for St. Cecilia's Day)
- I listen to the wind (I listen to the wind) - A. Payne [x]
- I listen to the wind [x] - A. Payne
- In a garden shady, this holy lady (Three songs for St. Cecilia's Day) - B. Britten, G. Gibbs, W. Graves, J. Lang-Hyde, as Lewis Hyde, R. Warren
- Incantations (Lights are moving) (from The Age of Anxiety: A Baroque Eclogue) - Y. Yannay [x]
- Infants in their mothers' arms (from The Double Man) [x] - L. Drakeford
- In Memoriam L. K. A. 1950-1952 (At peace under this mandarin, sleep, Lucina) - H. Henze
- In Memory of W.B. Yeats I (Earth, receive an honoured guest) - E. Maconchy
- In Memory of W.B. Yeats II (He disappeared in the dead of winter) - E. Maconchy
- Into me he breathed his spirit (Into me he breathed his spirit) - A. Payne [x]
- Into me he breathed his spirit [x] - A. Payne
- Invocation to Ariel (Sing, Ariel, sing) (from For the Time Being) - J. Rimmer [x]
- It's farewell to the drawing room's civilised cry - B. Britten
- I wanted to know (I wanted to know) - A. Payne [x]
- I wanted to know [x] - A. Payne
- Johnny (O the valley in the summer where I and my John) (from Another Time) - B. Britten, M. Horder
- Lauds (Among the leaves the small birds sing) (from The Shield of Achilles) - L. Berkeley, W. Mellers
- Lay your sleeping head, my love (Lay your sleeping head, my love) - H. Henze, J. Lang-Hyde
- Lay your sleeping head, my love - R. Drakeford, J. Hall, H. Henze, M. Horder, J. Lang-Hyde, S. Wheeler, S. Wilkinson (Lullaby)
- Lay your sleeping head, my love (Poem) - R. Drakeford, J. Hall, H. Henze, M. Horder, J. Lang-Hyde, as Lewis Hyde, S. Wheeler, S. Wilkinson
- Lay your sleeping head, my love - J. Vlijmen
- Leap before you look (The sense of danger) - L. Talma [x]
- Let the florid music praise! (Let the florid music praise) (from Look, Stranger!) - B. Britten, P. Dickinson, D. Pinkham
- Let the florid music praise (from Look, Stranger!) - B. Britten, P. Dickinson, D. Pinkham (Song)
- Liebe l'amour amor amoris (O tell me the truth about love) - B. Britten
- Lights are moving (from The Age of Anxiety: A Baroque Eclogue) [x] - Y. Yannay
- Like a dream (This lunar beauty) (from Poems) - J. Lang-Hyde
- Little fellow, you're amusing (from Two songs) [x] - F. Routh
- Looking up at the stars, I know quite well - N. Rorem (The more loving one)
- Look stranger, at this island now (Look, stranger, at this island now) (from Look, Stranger!) - P. Dickinson, D. Pinkham, N. Small, J. Stevens
- Look, stranger, at this island now (from Look, Stranger!) - B. Britten, M. Burtch, P. Dickinson, D. Pinkham, N. Small, J. Stevens (Seaside)
- Lullaby (Lay your sleeping head, my love) (Lay your sleeping head, my love) - M. Horder
- Lullaby (Hush-a-bye, Baby) (from Delos - Songs from Mutter Courage) - F. Routh [x]
- Lullaby (Lay your sleeping head, my love) - R. Drakeford, J. Hall, S. Wheeler, S. Wilkinson
- Madrigal (O lurcher-loving collier, black as night) - R. Orton
- May my heart's disquiet never vanish (May my heart's disquiet never vanish) - A. Payne [x]
- May my heart's disquiet never vanish [x] - A. Payne
- My first name, Wystan, rhymes with Tristan (from Homage to Clip) (Academic Graffiti) - M. Bialosky, L. Smit
- My first name, Wystan (from Homage to Clip) - M. Bialosky, L. Smit (Academic Graffiti)
- My second thoughts condemn (My second thoughts condemn) (from The Collected Poetry of W. H. Austen) - L. Drakeford [x]
- My second thoughts condemn (from The Collected Poetry of W. H. Austen) [x] - P. Dickinson, L. Drakeford
- My second thoughts (My second thoughts condemn) (from The Collected Poetry of W. H. Austen) - P. Dickinson [x]
- New Year letter (O Unicorn among the cedars) [x]
- Night covers up the rigid land (Night covers up the rigid land) (from Look, Stranger!) - L. Berkeley, B. Britten
- Night covers up the rigid land (from Look, Stranger!) - L. Berkeley, B. Britten, C. Duncan
- Nocturne (Now through night's caressing grip) (from The Dog Beneath the Skin) - B. Britten
- No time (Clocks cannot tell our time of day) (from The Double Man) - J. Hall
- Not to be born () - M. Horder [x]
- Now it is summer morning (Now it is summer morning) - A. Payne [x]
- Now it is summer morning [x] - A. Payne
- Now the leaves are falling fast (Now the leaves are falling fast) - B. Britten, J. Lang-Hyde
- Now the leaves are falling fast - B. Britten, J. Lang-Hyde
- Now through night's caressing grip (from The Dog Beneath the Skin) - B. Britten
- O ear whose creatures cannot wish to fall (Three songs for St. Cecilia's Day) - B. Britten, G. Gibbs, W. Graves, J. Lang-Hyde, as Lewis Hyde, R. Warren
- O lift your little pinkie, and touch the winter sky - B. Britten
- O lurcher-loving collier, black as night - L. Berkeley, J. Lang-Hyde, R. Orton, R. Senator (Madrigal)
- O lurcher-loving collier, black as night (O lurcher-loving collier, black as night) - L. Berkeley
- O lurcher-loving collier (O lurcher-loving collier, black as night) - J. Lang-Hyde, R. Senator
- One circumlocution () - L. Segerstam [x]
- One evening (As I walked out one evening) - R. Bennett
- Orpheus () - L. Segerstam [x]
- O shut your bright eyes that mine must endanger [x] - S. Wilkinson
- O tell me the truth about love (Some say that Love's a little boy)
- O the valley in the summer where I and my John (from Another Time) - B. Britten, M. Horder, J. Lang-Hyde (Johnny)
- O the valley in the summer (O the valley in the summer where I and my John) (from Another Time) - J. Lang-Hyde
- O Unicorn among the cedars [x] - D. Young (New Year letter)
- Our fathers whose creative will asked being for us all [x] - B. Britten
- Our Father, whose creative Will (Our Father, whose creative Will) (from For the Time Being) - V. Persichetti [x]
- Our Father, whose creative Will (from For the Time Being) [x] - B. Britten, V. Persichetti
- Our hunting fathers told the story - B. Britten (Poem)
- Out on the lawn I lie in bed (Out on the lawn I lie in bed) - B. Britten
- Out on the lawn I lie in bed - B. Britten (Summer Night)
- Over the heather the wet wind blows (from Another Time) - P. Dickinson, A. Harvey, J. Lang-Hyde (Roman Wall Blues)
- Over the heather (Over the heather the wet wind blows) (from Another Time) - P. Dickinson, J. Lang-Hyde
- O what is that sound which so thrills the ear - J. Beeson, W. Bennett, D. Hagen, R. Kreuger (Ballad)
- O what is that sound (O what is that sound which so thrills the ear) - R. Kreuger
- O where are you going? said reader to rider - J. Beeson, N. Rorem
- O where are you going (O where are you going? said reader to rider) - N. Rorem
- O who can ever gaze his fill," - J. Hall (Death's echo)
- Pangur, white Pangur FRE - S. Barber
- Perfection, of a kind, was what he was after - D. Hagen, R. Smith (Epitaph on a tyrant)
- Petition (Sir, no man's enemy, forgiving all) (from Poems) - M. Saffle
- Poem (Lay your sleeping head, my love)
- Poem (Our hunting fathers told the story)
- Prologue (They are our past and our future; the poles between) - B. Britten
- Refugee Blues (Say this city has ten million souls) - M. Fairouz, E. Lutyens
- Released by love (from For the Time Being) [x] - N. Fulton
- Rimbaud (The nights, the railway-arches, the bad sky) - H. Henze
- Roman Wall Blues (Over the heather the wet wind blows) (from Another Time) - A. Harvey
- Rondo: O What is That Sound (O what is that sound which so thrills the ear) - D. Hagen
- Round (Released by love) (from For the Time Being) - N. Fulton [x]
- Say this city has ten million souls - M. Fairouz, E. Lutyens (Refugee Blues)
- Scherzo - Dance of Death (It's farewell to the drawing room's civilised cry) - B. Britten
- Scherzo: In Moments of Joy () - D. Hagen [x]
- Seascape (Look, stranger, at this island now) (from Look, Stranger!) - B. Britten, M. Burtch
- Seaside (Look, stranger, at this island now) (from Look, Stranger!)
- Seen when night is silent (Seen when night is silent) (from The Dog Beneath the Skin) - J. Lang-Hyde [x]
- Seen when night is silent (from The Dog Beneath the Skin) [x] - J. Lang-Hyde
- Seven Academic Graffiti (My first name, Wystan) (from Homage to Clip) - M. Bialosky
- She looked over his shoulder (from The Shield of Achilles) POL - B. Kelly (The shield of Achilles)
- Shepherd's carol (O lift your little pinkie, and touch the winter sky) - B. Britten
- Sing agreeably of love (Carry her over the water) - D. Pinkham
- Sing, Ariel, sing (from For the Time Being) [x] - J. Rimmer
- Sir, no man's enemy, forgiving all (from Poems) - M. Saffle
- Some day you will be one of those who lived long ago (Some day you will be one of those who lived long ago) - A. Payne [x]
- Some day you will be one of those who lived long ago [x] - A. Payne
- Some say that Love's a little boy - B. Britten (O tell me the truth about love)
- Song: Epitaph on a Tyrant (Perfection, of a kind, was what he was after) - D. Hagen
- Song for St. Cecilia's Day (I. In a garden shady this holy lady) - W. Graves
- Song of the ogres (Little fellow, you're amusing) (from Two songs) - F. Routh [x]
- Song of the soldier before the inn (A drink man, quick!) (from Delos - Songs from Mutter Courage) - F. Routh [x]
- Songs from "Markings" [song cycle] () (from Markings) - A. Strilko [x]
- Song: The Composer (All the others translate) - D. Hagen [x]
- Song (As I walked out one evening)
- Song (Let the florid music praise) (from Look, Stranger!)
- Song (Warm are the still and lucky miles) (from Another Time)
- Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone (Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone) (from The Ascent of F6) - T. Southam
- Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone (from The Ascent of F6) - B. Britten, W. Davies, M. Horder, B. Roe, N. Rorem, T. Southam
- Stop all the clocks (Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone) (from The Ascent of F6) - W. Davies, M. Horder, B. Roe, N. Rorem
- Such a day of sweetness (Lay your sleeping head, my love) - J. Vlijmen
- Such a day of sweetness
- Summer Night (Out on the lawn I lie in bed)
- Tarcza Achillesa () - Z. Bargielski [x]
- Tell me the truth about love (Some say that Love's a little boy) - B. Britten
- That night when joy began (That night when joy began) - J. Lang-Hyde [x]
- That night when joy began [x] - J. Lang-Hyde
- The composer (All the others translate) - J. Lang-Hyde [x]
- The decoys (There are some birds in these valleys) - J. Rimmer
- The dream (Dear, though the night is gone)
- The garrison () - D. Hagen [x]
- Their Lonely Betters (As I listened from a beach-chair in the shade) - N. Rorem
- The monk and his cat (Pangur, white Pangur) - S. Barber FRE
- The more loving one (Looking up at the stars, I know quite well) - N. Rorem
- The nights, the railway-arches, the bad sky - H. Henze
- The one (Before this loved one) - C. Duncan [x]
- The praises of God (How foolish the man who does not raise) - S. Barber FRE
- The quarry (O what is that sound which so thrills the ear) - W. Bennett
- There are some birds in these valleys - J. Rimmer (The decoys)
- The sense of danger [x] - L. Talma (Leap before you look)
- The shield of Achilles (She looked over his shoulder) (from The Shield of Achilles) - B. Kelly POL
- The silly fool, the silly fool (from Poems) [x] - P. Dickinson, C. Duncan
- The spear has been cast (The spear has been cast) - A. Payne [x]
- The spear has been cast [x] - A. Payne
- The sun shines down (The sun shines down) - B. Britten [x]
- The sun shines down [x] - B. Britten
- The traveller (Holding the distance up before his face) - J. Lang-Hyde [x]
- The Twelve (Without arms or charm of culture) - W. Walton
- The unknown citizen (He was found by the Bureau of Statistics to be) - D. Cohen
- They are our past and our future; the poles between - B. Britten
- This lunar beauty (This lunar beauty) (from Poems) - J. Rimmer
- This lunar beauty (from Poems) - J. Lang-Hyde, J. Rimmer
- Three songs for St. Cecilia's Day (I. In a garden shady this holy lady)
- Time will say nothing but I told you so - R. Escher, J. Hall
- To lie flat on the back with the knees flexed (from Look, Stranger!) - B. Britten
- To lie flat on the back (To lie flat on the back with the knees flexed) (from Look, Stranger!) - B. Britten
- Tommy did as mother told him - J. Weiss
- Tommy (Tommy did as mother told him) - J. Weiss
- Underneath an abject willow (Underneath an abject willow) (from Look, Stranger!) - J. Cohn, L. Drakeford GER
- Underneath an abject willow (from Look, Stranger!) GER - B. Britten, J. Cohn, L. Drakeford, T. Southam
- Underneath the abject willow (Underneath an abject willow) (from Look, Stranger!) - B. Britten, T. Southam GER
- Underneath the abject willow (from Look, Stranger!) GER
- Under the familiar weight [x] (New Year letter) - D. Young
- Unrhymed, unrhythmical, the chatter goes - K. Schoonenbeek (At the party)
- Variations: Orpheus () - D. Hagen [x]
- Warm are the still and lucky miles (from Another Time) - R. Escher, R. Senator (Song)
- Warm are the still and lucky miles (Warm are the still and lucky miles) (from Another Time) - R. Escher, R. Senator
- We're late (Clocks cannot tell our time of day) (from The Double Man) - L. Foss
- What did I experience that evening (What did I experience that evening) - A. Payne [x]
- What did I experience that evening [x] - A. Payne
- What's in your mind, my dove, my coney? (What's in your mind, my dove, my coney) - L. Berkeley
- What's in your mind, my dove, my coney - L. Berkeley, B. Britten, P. Dickinson
- What's in your mind? (What's in your mind, my dove, my coney) - B. Britten
- What's on your mind, my dove, my coney? (What's in your mind, my dove, my coney) - P. Dickinson
- When a just man dies - I. Stravinsky (Elegy for J. F. K.)
- When you're feeling like expressing your affection (When you're feeling like expressing your affection) - B. Britten [possibly misattributed]
- When you're feeling like expressing your affection [possibly misattributed] - B. Britten
- Without arms or charm of culture - W. Walton
- You were a great Cunarder, I [x] - L. Clair
Last update: 2023-09-20 04:24:14