Texts by T. Roethke set in Art Songs and Choral Works

§ Author §

Theodore Roethke (1908 - 1963)

Text Collections:

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.

A head or tail which does he lack? * - I. Venables (The Hippo)
Believe me, knot of gristle, I bleed like a tree (from Praise to the End!) * - W. Bolcom (Give way, ye gates)
Dolor (I have known the inexorable sadness of pencils) (from The Lost Son and Other Poems) - H. Lindenfeld *
First meditation (On love's worst ugly day) (from Words for the Wind: The Collected Verse of Theodore Roethke - Meditation of an Old Woman) - W. Bolcom *
From whence cometh song (From whence cometh song?) (from The Far Field) - N. Rorem *
From whence cometh song? (from The Far Field) * - D. Hagen, N. Rorem, S. Sargon (Song (From whence cometh song?))
Give way, ye gates (Believe me, knot of gristle, I bleed like a tree) (from Praise to the End!) - W. Bolcom *
Goo-girl () (from I Am! Says the Lamb) - S. Adler [x] *
I have known the inexorable sadness of pencils (from The Lost Son and Other Poems) * - H. Lindenfeld (Dolor)
I knew a woman, lovely in her bones (from Words for the Wind: The Collected Verse of Theodore Roethke) * - W. Bolcom (I knew a woman)
I knew a woman (I knew a woman, lovely in her bones) (from Words for the Wind: The Collected Verse of Theodore Roethke) - W. Bolcom *
Interlude () (from Open House) - N. Rorem [x] *
I saw a young snake glide (from Words for the Wind: The Collected Verse of Theodore Roethke) * - N. Rorem (Snake)
I strolled across an open field (I strolled across) (from The Lost Son and Other Poems) - N. Rorem *
I strolled across/ An open field (from The Lost Son and Other Poems) * (The waking) - J. Cloud, D. Hagen, N. Rorem
I strolled across (from The Lost Son and Other Poems) * - J. Cloud, D. Hagen, N. Rorem (The waking)
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow (from The Waking: Poems 1933-1953) * - A. Betinis, W. Bolcom, S. Grill, N. Rorem (The waking)
Let others probe the mystery if they can * - W. Bolcom
Meditation at Oyster River () - S. Gendel [x] *
Meditations of an old woman (What can I tell my bones) (from Words for the Wind: The Collected Verse of Theodore Roethke) [x] *
Memory () (from Words for the Wind: The Collected Verse of Theodore Roethke) - N. Rorem [x] *
My lizard, my lively writher (from The Far Field) * - S. Barber (Wish for a young wife)
My lizard (My lizard, my lively writher) (from The Far Field) - S. Barber *
My papa's waltz (The whiskey on your breath) (from The Lost Son and Other Poems) - D. Diamond, N. Rorem *
Myrtle's cousin () (from I Am! Says the Lamb) - S. Adler [x] *
Myrtle () (from I Am! Says the Lamb) - S. Adler [x] *
My secrets cry aloud (from Open House) * - W. Bolcom (Open house)
Night crow () (from The Lost Son and Other Poems) - N. Rorem [x] *
On love's worst ugly day (from Words for the Wind: The Collected Verse of Theodore Roethke - Meditation of an Old Woman) * - W. Bolcom (First meditation)
Open house (My secrets cry aloud) (from Open House) - W. Bolcom *
Orchids (They lean over the path) (from The Lost Son and Other Poems) - N. Rorem *
Root cellar () - N. Rorem [x] *
Snake (I saw a young snake glide) (from Words for the Wind: The Collected Verse of Theodore Roethke) - N. Rorem *
Song (From whence cometh song?) (From whence cometh song?) (from The Far Field) *
Song (From whence cometh song?) (from The Far Field) - D. Hagen, N. Rorem, S. Sargon *
The apparition () (from The Far Field) - N. Rorem [x] *
The cow (There once was a cow) (from Words for the Wind: The Collected Verse of Theodore Roethke) - K. Benshoof, H. Lindenfeld *
The Hippo (A head or tail which does he lack?) - I. Venables *
The kitty-cat bird () (from I Am! Says the Lamb) - G. Kubik [x] *
The lamb () (from I Am! Says the Lamb) - G. Kubik [x] *
The monotony song () (from I Am! Says the Lamb) - G. Kubik, J. Lamb [x] *
There once was a cow (from Words for the Wind: The Collected Verse of Theodore Roethke) * - K. Benshoof, H. Lindenfeld (The cow)
There was a Serpent who had to sing (from Words for the Wind: The Collected Verse of Theodore Roethke) * - W. Bolcom, L. Hoiby, A. Imbrie, G. Kubik, N. Rorem (The serpent)
The right thing (Let others probe the mystery if they can) - W. Bolcom *
The serpent (There was a Serpent who had to sing) (from Words for the Wind: The Collected Verse of Theodore Roethke) - W. Bolcom, L. Hoiby, A. Imbrie, G. Kubik, N. Rorem *
The sloth () (from Words for the Wind: The Collected Verse of Theodore Roethke) - G. Kubik [x] *
The voice () (from Words for the Wind: The Collected Verse of Theodore Roethke) - H. Baumgartner [x] *
The waking (I strolled across) (from The Lost Son and Other Poems) - J. Cloud, D. Hagen *
The waking (I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow) (from The Waking: Poems 1933-1953) - A. Betinis, W. Bolcom, S. Grill, N. Rorem *
The weeds () - M. Timpson [x] *
The whiskey on your breath (from The Lost Son and Other Poems) * - D. Diamond, N. Rorem (My papa's waltz)
The yak () (from I Am! Says the Lamb) - S. Adler [x] *
They lean over the path (from The Lost Son and Other Poems) * - N. Rorem (Orchids)
What can I tell my bones (from Words for the Wind: The Collected Verse of Theodore Roethke) [x] * - N. Rorem (Meditations of an old woman)
What can I tell my bones (What can I tell my bones) (from Words for the Wind: The Collected Verse of Theodore Roethke) - N. Rorem [x] *
Wish for a young wife (My lizard, my lively writher) (from The Far Field) *

Last update: 2023-02-05 11:38:07