by Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 - 1882)
By the rude bridge that arched the flood
Language: English
By the rude bridge that arched the flood, Their flag to April's breeze unfurled, Here once the embattled farmers stood, And fired the shot heard round the world. The foe long since in silence slept; Alike the conqueror silent sleeps; And Time the ruined bridge has swept Down the dark stream which seaward creeps. On this green bank, by this soft stream, We set to-day a votive stone; That memory may their deed redeem, When, like our sires, our sons are gone. Spirit, that made those heroes dare To die, or leave their children free, Bid Time and Nature gently spare The shaft we raise to them and thee.
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View text with all available footnotesText Authorship:
- by Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 - 1882), "Concord", sung at the completion of the Concord Monument, April 19, 1836. [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 Edward Bailey Birge (1868 - 1952), "Concord Hymn" [sung text not yet checked]
- by Jack Marius Jarrett (b. 1934), "Concord Hymn", published 1970 [ satb chorus and piano or band or orch ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Richard Layton Kent (b. 1916), "Concord Hymn", published 1973 [ satb chorus and 2 trumpets ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Martin Mailman (b. 1932), "Concord Hymn", op. 20, published 1968 [ satb chorus and oboe, flute, and clarinet (or harp, piano, and guitar) ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Michael Rickelton (b. 1983), "Concord Hymn", 2006, from Battle Songs, no. 1 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Jason Rico (b. 1978), "Concord Hymn" [ mezzo-soprano, piano, horn, and clarinet ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Roy Ringwald (b. 1910), "Concord Hymn", published 1951 [ satb chorus, narrator, and piano four-hands ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Robert Eugene Ward (1917 - 2013), "Concord Hymn", published 1949 [ ssattbb chorus a cappella ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Kevin Wood (b. 1947), "Concord Hymn", published 1981 [ ssaattbbb(b) chorus a cappella ] [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 110