by Edmund Waller (1608 - 1687)
While I listen to thy Voice
Language: English
While I listen to thy Voice, Chloris, I feele my life decay, that pow'rfull noyse cal's my fleeting soul away; O suppress that magick sound, which destroyes without a wound! peace! peace, Chloris, peace, or singing dye, that together thou and I to heav'n may go; for all we know of what the blessed doe above, is that they sing, and that they love.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Edmund Waller (1608 - 1687) [author's text not yet checked 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 William Hayes (1708 - 1777), "While I listen to thy voice", published 1748 [ voice and continuo ], Verified with Six Cantatas Set to Musick by William Hayes Bac. Mus. Organist of Magd. Coll. and Professor in the University of Oxford, London 1748. [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Henry Lawes (c1595 - 1662), "To a Lady singing", from Ayres and Dialogues, Book 1 [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2014-04-15
Line count: 11
Word count: 64