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Texts by W. Auden set in Art Songs and Choral Works

 § Author § 

W. H. (Wystan Hugh) Auden (1907 - 1973)

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.
The symbol ⊗ indicates a translation that is missing an original text.

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) - F. Routh [x] ⊗
  • All the others translate - D. Hagen, J. Lang-Hyde (The composer) [x]
  • 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 - C. Duncan [x]
  • 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 - A. Payne [x]
  • 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) - A. Bliss [x]
  • He was found by the Bureau of Statistics to be - D. Cohen (The unknown citizen)
  • Holding the distance up before his face - J. Lang-Hyde (The traveller) [x]
  • How foolish the man who does not raise FRE - S. Barber ⊗
  • Hush-a-bye, Baby (from Delos - Songs from Mutter Courage) - F. Routh (Lullaby) [x] ⊗
  • 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 - A. Payne [x]
  • 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) - L. Drakeford [x]
  • 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 - A. Payne [x]
  • 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 - A. Payne [x]
  • 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) - Y. Yannay [x]
  • Like a dream (This lunar beauty) (from Poems) - J. Lang-Hyde
  • Little fellow, you're amusing (from Two songs) - F. Routh [x]
  • 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 - A. Payne [x]
  • 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) - P. Dickinson, L. Drakeford [x]
  • 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 - A. Payne [x]
  • 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 - S. Wilkinson [x]
  • 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 - D. Young (New Year letter) [x]
  • Our fathers whose creative will asked being for us all - B. Britten [x] ⊗
  • 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) - B. Britten, V. Persichetti [x]
  • 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) - N. Fulton [x]
  • 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) - J. Lang-Hyde [x]
  • 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) - J. Rimmer [x]
  • 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 - A. Payne [x]
  • 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 - J. Lang-Hyde [x]
  • 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 - L. Talma (Leap before you look) [x]
  • 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) - P. Dickinson, C. Duncan [x]
  • The spear has been cast (The spear has been cast) - A. Payne [x]
  • The spear has been cast - A. Payne [x]
  • The sun shines down (The sun shines down) - B. Britten [x]
  • The sun shines down - B. Britten [x]
  • 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 (New Year letter) - D. Young [x]
  • 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 - A. Payne [x]
  • 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 - L. Clair [x]

Last update: 2025-02-07 19:25:26

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