A lay of the early spring (Smith, set by (Charles Gounod)) (The LiederNet Archive: Texts and Translations to Lieder, mélodies, canzoni, and other classical vocal music)

by François Coppée (1842 - 1908)

A lay of the early spring

Language: English after the French (Français)

A lay of the early spring,
Maiden fair, to thee I sing.
While each bird its mate is calling,
And as gentle breezes blow,
Countless flakes of blossom snow
From the orchard trees are falling.

Bird and blossom, maiden sweet,
Teach that lovers true should meet
When all Nature thus rejoices.
Come then, dearest, to the vale
Where the thrush and nightingale
In sweet concert raise their voices,
For when fickle spring departs,
Summer warmth shall fill our hearts
With a love and faith unbroken.

Authorship

by Horace Smith [an adaptation] [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]

Based on

a text in French (Français) by François Coppée (1842 - 1908), no title, appears in Le Passant, Paris, Éd. Alphonse Lemerre, first published 1870

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

by Charles Gounod (1818 - 1893), "A lay of the early spring", CG. 357, first performed 1872. [voice and piano], also set in French (Français) [ sung text checked 1 time]

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2016-01-08
Line count: 15
Word count: 85