Two Chorales on Poems of Oscar Wilde

by John Biggs (b. 1932)

The New Remorse

Language: English 
The sin was mine; I did not understand.
        So now is music prisoned in her cave,
        Save where some ebbing desultory wave
Frets with its restless whirls this meagre strand.
And in the withered hollow of this land
        Hath Summer dug herself so deep a grave,
        That hardly can the leaden willow crave
One silver blossom from keen Winter’s hand.
But who is this who cometh by the shore?
(Nay, love, look up and wonder!) Who is this
        Who cometh in dyed garments from the South?
It is thy new-found Lord, and he shall kiss
        The yet unravished roses of thy mouth,
And I shall weep and worship, as before.

Text Authorship:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

Set by John Biggs (b. 1932), op. 45 (1972) [ mixed chorus ]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

The True Knowledge

Language: English 
Thou knowest all; I seek in vain
What lands to till or sow with seed -
The land is black with briar and weed,
Nor cares for falling tears or rain.

Thou knowest all; I sit and wait
With blinded eyes and hands that fail,
Till the last lifting of the veil
And the first opening of the gate.

Thou knowest all; I cannot see.
I trust I shall not live in vain,
I know that we shall meet again
In some divine eternity.

Text Authorship:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

Set by John Biggs (b. 1932), op. 72 (1972) [ voice and piano ]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
Total word count: 193