I morti | Questi cuori furono intessuti di gioie e affanni

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by Rupert Brooke (1887 - 1915)

Translation © by Ferdinando Albeggiani

The dead

Language: English

Our translations: ITA

These hearts were woven of human joys and cares,
Washed marvelously with sorrow, swift to mirth,
The years had given them kindness. Dawn was theirs,
And sunset, and the colours of the earth.
These had seen movement, and heard music; known
Slumber and waking; loved; gone proudly friended;
Felt the quick stir of wonder; sat alone;
Touched flowers and furs and cheeks. All this is ended.

There are waters blown by changing winds to laughter
And lit by the rich skies, all day. And after,
Frost, with a gesture, stays the waves that dance
And wandering loveliness. He leaves a white
Unbroken glory, a gathered radiance,
A width, a shining peace, under the night.

First published in New Numbers, December 1914

Text Authorship:

by Rupert Brooke (1887 - 1915), "The dead", appears in 1914, no. 4 [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):

by Gary Bachlund (b. 1947), "The dead", 2004 [ baritone and piano ], from Songs of War, no. 7 [sung text checked 1 time]
by Alan Gray (1855 - 1935), "The dead", published <<1967 [ SATB chorus and organ ], from 1914, no. 4 [sung text not yet checked]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "I morti", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2007-05-04
Line count: 14
Word count: 114

I morti

Language: Italian (Italiano) after the English

Questi cuori furono intessuti di gioie e affanni,
Mirabilmente impregnati  di tristezza, ma pronti alla gioia,
Gli anni hanno dato loro dolcezza. Appartennero a loro l’aurora,
e il tramonto, e tutti  i colori del mondo.
Hanno osservato gesti, ascoltato musica; conosciuto
Il sonno e la veglia; hanno amato; orgogliosamente gioito dell’amicizia;
si sono meravigliati con una emozione improvvisa; sono rimasti in solitudine;
hanno sfiorato fiori e morbide pellicce e delicate guance. E tutto questo è finito.

Ci sono acque allegramente agitate da venti mutevoli
E illuminate da cieli luminosi, per tutto il giorno. E poi,
Il gelo, con un solo gesto, ferma le onde che danzano
E si agitano con grazia. Rimane un candido
Immacolato splendore, una intensa radiosità,
Una vasta, luminosa pace, davanti alla notte.

Text Authorship:

Translation from English to Italian (Italiano) copyright © 2007 by Ferdinando Albeggiani, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in English by Rupert Brooke (1887 - 1915), "The dead", appears in 1914, no. 4
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2007-05-09
Line count: 14
Word count: 126