Four Songs

Song Cycle by Emma Lou Diemer (b. 1927)

1. Strings in the earth and air  [sung text not yet checked]

Language: English 
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]2 on his mantle, 
  Dark leaves on his hair. 

All softly playing, 
  With head to [the]3 music bent, 
And fingers straying 
  Upon an instrument.

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

  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

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1 omitted by Berio
2 Coulthard: "flow'rs"
3 omitted by Coulthard

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

2. The caller

Language: English 
— This text is not currently
in the database but will be added
as soon as we obtain it. —

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3. One perfect rose   [sung text not yet checked]

Language: English 
A single flow'r he sent me, since we met
 [ ... ]

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First published in Life, January 4, 1923

4. Comment  [sung text not yet checked]

Language: English 
Oh, life is a glorious cycle of song
 [ ... ]

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First published in New York World, August 16, 1925

Total word count: 156