by Thomas Moore (1779 - 1852)
Translation by Christian Reinhold (1813 - 1856)
Why does azure deck the sky?
Language: English
Why does azure deck the sky? 'Tis to be like thy looks of blue. Why is red the rose's dye? Because it is thy blushes' hue. All that's fair, by Love's decree, Has been made resembling thee! Why is falling snow so white, But to be like thy bosom fair! Why are solar beams so bright? That they may seem thy golden hair! All that's bright, by Love's decree, Has been made resembling thee! Why are nature's beauties felt? Oh! 'tis thine in her we see! Why has music power to melt? Oh! because it speaks like thee. All that's sweet, by Love's decree, Has been made resembling thee!
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Thomas Moore (1779 - 1852), "Song" [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 Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875 - 1912), "Why does azure deck the sky?" [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Charles Hubert Hastings Parry, Sir (1848 - 1918), "Why does azure deck the sky?", op. 2 no. 1 (1865-1866), first performed 1866 [ low voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Christian Reinhold (1813 - 1856) ; composed by Heinrich Friedrich von Saint-Julien.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2022-01-08
Line count: 18
Word count: 109
Lied
Language: German (Deutsch) after the English
Blau warum das Firmament? Zu gleichen deines Aug's Azur. Rot warum die Rose brennt? Erröten will wie du die Flur. Was die Liebe schuf voll Zier, gleichen sollt' es all nur dir. Schnee, so schneeweiß wär' er nicht, wärst du nicht Schwanenbusen hold. Warum glänzt der Sonne Licht? Es neidet deiner Locken Gold. Was die Liebe schuf voll Glanz, gleichen sollt' es dir nur ganz. Warum preist man die Natur? Weil dein Bildnis strahlt in ihr. Schmilzt Musik das Herz, ist's nur, weil sie Stimme borgt von dir. Was die Liebe süß erdacht, dir ist alles gleich gemacht.
Text Authorship:
Based on:
- a text in English by Thomas Moore (1779 - 1852), "Song"
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Heinrich Friedrich von Saint-Julien (1801 - 1844), "Lied", op. 7 no. 2, from Lyrische Gedichte, no. 2 [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website: 2026-08-20
Line count: 18
Word count: 98