
by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788 - 1824)
I saw thee weep
Language: English
Available translation(s): DUT
I saw thee weep - the big bright tear Came o'er that eye of blue; And then methought it did appear A violet dropping dew -- I saw thee smile -- the sapphire's [blaze]1 Beside thee ceased to shine; It could not match the living rays That fill'd that glance of thine. As clouds from yonder sun receive A deep and mellow dye, Which scarce the shade of coming eve Can banish from the sky -- Those smiles unto the moodiest mind Their own pure joy impart; Their sunshine leaves a glow behind That lightens o'er the heart.
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
Note: see also Bécquer's Imitación de Byron
1 in some versions, "blue"Authorship:
- by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788 - 1824), "I saw thee weep", appears in Hebrew Melodies, no. 10 [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 Adolph Martin Foerster (1854 - 1927), "I saw thee weep", op. 34 (Two songs) no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Johann Nepomuk Hummel (1778 - 1837), "I saw thee weep", published 1826 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Klaus Miehling (b. 1963), "I saw thee weep", op. 323 (Sieben Lieder nach George Lord Byron) no. 3 (2021) [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Isaac Nathan (1790 - 1864), "I saw thee weep", published 1815, from A Selection of Hebrew Melodies No. I, no. 10 [sung text checked 1 time]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Karl Julius Körner (1793 - 1873) , "Die Weinende", appears in Israelitische Gesänge, no. 10 ; composed by Robert Schumann.
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Franz Theremin (1780 - 1846) , "Thränen und Lächeln", written 1820, appears in Hebräische Gesänge ; composed by M. Henle, Carl Loewe.
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Ferruccio Busoni.
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Adolf Böttger (1815 - 1870) , "Ich sah die Thräne", appears in Hebräische Melodien, no. 10 ; composed by Emil Bezecný, Max Seifriz.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Ik zag je traan", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Alexis Paulin Pâris) , "Je te vis pleurer", appears in Mélodies hébraïques, no. 10
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2003-10-19
Line count: 16
Word count: 95