How sweet is the Shepherd's sweet lot! (Blake) (The LiederNet Archive: Texts and Translations to Lieder, mélodies, canzoni, and other classical vocal music)

How sweet is the Shepherd's sweet lot!

Language: English

Available translation(s): CAT

How sweet is the Shepherd's sweet lot!
   From the morn to the evening he strays;
He shall follow his sheep all the day,
   And his tongue shall be fillèd with praise.

For he hears the lamb's innocent call,
   And he hears the ewe's tender reply;
He is watchful [while]¹ they are in peace,
   For they know when their Shepherd is nigh.

About the headline (FAQ)

View original text (without footnotes)
¹ Cooke: "when"

Authorship

by William Blake (1757 - 1827), "The shepherd", appears in Songs of Innocence and Experience, in Songs of Innocence, no. 2, first published 1789 [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 Murray Adaskin (1906 - 2002), "The shepherd", 1934. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Samuel Hans Adler (b. 1928), "The shepherd", published 1974 [mixed chorus and band], from Serenade, no. 3. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Keith Warren Bissell (b. 1912), "The shepherd", published 1959. [SSA chorus a cappella] [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by William Bolcom (b. 1938), "The shepherd", 1956-81 [solo voices, chorus, orchestra], from Songs of Innocence, no. 4. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by (William) Havergal Brian (1876 - 1972), "Pastoral - The shepherd", 1914, published c1922. [SSA chorus and piano] [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Lee Hastings Bristol (1923 - 1979), "The shepherd", published 1951, from The Lamb and Other New Carols, no. 2. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Harry Brook (1893 - ?), "The shepherd", published 1928. [vocal duet with piano] [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by John Callis Brydson (b. 1900), "The shepherd", published 1949, from Of a Shepherd and a Lamb, no. 1. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by William Busch (1901 - 1945), "The shepherd", published 1944, from Two Songs of William Blake, no. 2. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Nigel Henry Butterley (b. 1935), "The shepherd", op. 2 no. 4 (1956), from Six Blake Songs, no. 4. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by (Henry) Elliot Button (1861 - ?), "The shepherd", published 1892, from Songs of Innocence, no. 1. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Vincent Henry Palmer Caillard, Sir (1856 - 1930), "The shepherd", published 1891 [voice and piano], from The Songs of Innocence of William Blake, no. 2, London : Novello, Ewer & Co. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Alice Upton Close , "The shepherd", published c1934. [voice, piano] [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Gwendolyn Avril Coleridge-Taylor (1903 - 1998), "The shepherd", 1948. [voice, piano] [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Arnold Atkinson Cooke (1906 - 2005), "The shepherd", 1956, published 1960 [soprano, clarinet in A, and piano], from Three Songs of Innocence, no. 2. [ sung text checked 1 time]
by John Charlton Crawford (b. 1931), "The shepherd", published 1965 [soprano, piano], from Songs of Innocence, no. 2. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Norman Curtis (b. 1933), "The shepherd", c1959 [voice and piano], from William Blake's Songs of Innocence and of Experience, no. 2. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Harold Edwin Darke (1888 - 1977), "The shepherd", published c1911 [medium voice and piano], from Three Songs of Innocence, no. 1, London: Stainer & Bell [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by (Henry) Walford Davies, Sir (1869 - 1941), "The shepherd", op. 4 no. 4, published 1900 [SSA chorus a cappella], from Four Songs of Innocence, no. 4, London: Novello [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by (Henry) Walford Davies, Sir (1869 - 1941), "The shepherd", published c1931 [voice and piano], London : Novello [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Norman Frank Demuth (1898 - 1968), "The shepherd", published c1938 [unison chorus and piano], London : W. Paxton and Co., in Modern Songs for Children of All Ages, 3rd set, no. 80256 [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Celius Dougherty (1902 - 1986), "The shepherd", 1957, first performed 1957 [SATB chorus], from The Happy Shepherd, no. 3. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Thomas Frederick Dunhill (1877 - 1946), "The shepherd", op. 43 no. 1, published c1915 [medium voice and piano], from Countryside Ditties, no. 1, London : Augener [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Dilys Elwyn-Edwards, née Roberts (b. 1918), "The shepherd", 1968, published 1970 [unison chorus and piano], in The New Welsh Baptist Hymnal (Cyhoedded San Undeb y Bedyddwyr Cymori) [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Leonard Enns (b. 1948), "The shepherd", 1974, published c1983, rev. 1978, first performed 1979 [SATB chorus a cappella], from Songs of Innocence, no. 2, Waterloo, Ont. : Waterloo Music Co. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Kenneth George Finlay (1882 - 1974), "The shepherd" [SSA chorus with optional piano and descant recorder] [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by John Frandsen (b. 1956), "The shepherd", 1984 [soprano and guitar], from Songs of Innocence II, no. 1. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Earl Robert George (b. 1924), "The shepherd", published c1956 [mixed chorus a cappella], from Songs of Innocence, no. 2, Evanston, IL : Summy-Birchard Co. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Richard Franko Goldman (1910 - 1980), "The shepherd", 1929, published c1952 [medium voice and piano], from Two Poems of William Blake, no. 2, NY : Mercury Music Corp. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Ole Carsten Green (b. 1922), "The shepherd", op. 27b no. 2 (1973) [voice and piano], from Songs of Innocence, no. 2. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Geoffrey Gwyther , "The shepherd", published 1917 [medium voice and piano], from Seven Poems from Blake's "Songs of Innocence", no. 2, London, The Poetry Bookshop [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Alfred Matthew Hale (1875 - 1960), "The shepherd", op. 16 no. 2, published 1910 [voice and piano], from Twelve Songs, no. 2, London : A. Lengnick [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Colin Hand (1929 - 2015), "The shepherd", published 1957 [SS chorus and piano], from Songs of Pleasure, no. 2, London : Novello [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Fritz Bennicke Hart (1874 - 1949), "The shepherd", op. 13 (Seven songs) no. 4 (1913) [voice and piano], first setting [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Christian Victor Hely-Hutchinson (1901 - 1947), "The shepherd", published c1932 [women's chorus or boys' chorus and piano or strings], from The Echoing Green and Other Songs, from Blake's Songs of Innocence, no. 2, London : Elkin & Co. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Gary Michael Higginson (b. 1952), "The shepherd", op. 55 no. 2 (1981-2) [SATB chorus with divisions a cappella], from Seven Songs of William Blake, Set II, no. 2. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Lee Hoiby (1926 - 2011), "The shepherd", from Two Songs of Innocence, no. 1. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Joseph (or Josef) Charles Holbrooke (1878 - 1958), "The shepherd", op. 130 no. 4 (1934), from Songs of Innocence, no. 4. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Amy Elise Horrocks (1867 - 1919), "The shepherd", published 1900 [unison chorus], from Four Songs, no. 2, London : Augener [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Herbert Norman Howells (1892 - 1983), "The shepherd", op. 11 no. 1, published c1916 [2-part chorus for soprano and alto voices with piano], London : J. Curwen [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Chester Edward Ide (1878 - 1944), "The shepherd", c1928 [vocal duet for treble voices a cappella], from Songs of Innocence -- Eight Poems by William Blake, no. 2. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Paul A. Irby , "The shepherd", published c1928 [voice and piano], from Three Songs of Innocence, no. 1, London, Wellington Music Publ. Co. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Gordon Percival Septimus Jacob (1895 - 1984), "The shepherd", 1922, published 1926 [soprano and string trio], from Three Songs of Innocence, no. 2, London : Oxford University Press [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by (John) Michael Jacques (b. 1944), "The shepherd", 1966 [soprano voices and piano with optional accompaniment for strings, 2 clarinets, and piano], from Six Songs of Innocence, no. 4. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Mabel Jennings , "The shepherd", published 1907 [voice and piano], from Five Songs of Innocence, no. 1, Oxford : Sydney Acott, Harris & Co. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Percy Charles Judd (1892 - ?), "The shepherd", published c1930 [unison chorus a cappella], London : Hawkes & Son [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by John Brodbin Kennedy , "The shepherd", published c1965 [TTB chorus a cappella], NY : Boosey & Hawkes [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Richard Bamford Lane (1933 - 2004), "The shepherd", 1974, first performed 1974 [SSA chorus and strings], from Some Songs of Innocence, no. 3. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by André Laporte (b. 1931), "The shepherd", 1979, published c1983 [SSSS chorus a cappella], from Songs of Innocence, no. 5, Kontich, Belgium : De notenboom [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Kerry Glenn Lewis (b. 1948), "How sweet is the Shepherd's sweet lot", 1973 [SSAA chorus a cappella], from Three William Blake Songs for Treble Voices, no. 3. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by (John) Rodney Lister (b. 1951), "The shepherd", 1974, first performed 1977. [unison children's chorus, recorders, percussion, and piano] [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Joan Littlejohn (b. 1937), "The shepherd", 1967-70, first performed 1971 [voice and piano], from Blakes Songs of Innocence and of Experience, Showing the Two Contrary States of the Human Soul, Part I : Songs of Innocence, no. 3. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Bertram Luard-Selby (1853 - 1918), "The shepherd's sweet lot", published c1908 [2-part women's chorus with piano], London : Novello [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by James Lyon (1872 - 1949), "The shepherd", op. 68 no. 4, published c1920 [SSAA chorus a cappella], London : Stainer & Bell [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Edith MacDonald , "The shepherd", published 1879 [medium voice and piano], London : Stanley Lucas, Weber & Co. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Charles T. Maclary , "The shepherd", published 1941 [unison or 2-part treble chorus a cappella], from Nine Happy Songs, from Songs of Innocence of William Blake, no. 4, Philadelphia : Elkan-Vogel Co. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by George Frederick McKay (1899 - 1970), "The shepherd", published 1963 [SSA chorus and piano], Delaware Water Gap, PA : Shawnee Press (Flammer) [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Olga Mills , "The shepherd", published c1927 [voice, piano, and flute or violin obbligato], London : Oxford University Press [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by John O'Kill , "The shepherd", published c1962 [unison chorus or voice and piano], London : Chappell [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Robin Orr (1909 - 2006), "The shepherd", 1929, first performed 1932 [voice and string quartet], from Three Songs of Innocence, no. 3. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Donald Patriquin (b. 1938), "The shepherd", 1984 [SSAA chorus, harp, and flute], from Songs of Innocence, no. 3. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Malcolm Cameron Peyton (b. 1932), "The shepherd", 1962. [TB chorus, horns, and strings] [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Mark Raphael (b. 1900), "The shepherd", 1945, published c1963 [voice and piano], London : Elkin ; NY : Galaxy Music Corp. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Ellen Raskin (1928 - 1984), "The shepherd", published 1966 [voice and piano or guitar], from Songs of Innocence, no. 2, Garden City, NY : Doubleday [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Louisa Raymond , "The shepherd", published 1961 [soprano and orchestra], from A Group of Songs for Seana, no. 9. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Hugh Stevenson Roberton, Sir (1874 - 1952), "The shepherd", published c1952 [chorus and piano], London : J. Curwen [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by (William Herbert) Mervyn Roberts (1906 - 1990), "The shepherd", 1940 [soprano and piano], from Four Songs of Innocence, no. 1. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Michael Edward Rose (b. 1934), "The shepherd", published c1968 [voices, recorders, and piano], from Three Country Songs, no. 2, London : Chappell & Co. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Alec Rowley (1892 - 1958), "The shepherd", published 1953 [mixed chorus and accompaniment], from Song in Maytime, no. 6, London : Novello [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Charles Shadle (b. 1960), "The shepherd", 1999 [vocal sextet a cappella], from Three Songs of Innocence and a Song of Experience, no. 2. [ sung text checked 1 time]
by Cecil Sharman (1894 - ?), "The shepherd", published c1927 [unison chorus], London : J. Williams [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Johannes Somary (b. 1935), "The shepherd", 1973, first performed 1974 [duet for soprano and baritone with piano], from Six Songs of Innocence, no. 3. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Masters van Someren-Godfery (d. 1947), "The shepherd", published c1952 [voice and piano], from Six Blake Songs, no. 3, London : Augener [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Arthur Somervell, Sir (1863 - 1937), "The shepherd", published 1889 [voice and piano], from Five Songs of Innocence (formerly Four Songs of Innocence), no. 1, London, Stanley Lucas & Co. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Ronald Stevenson (b. 1928), "The shepherd", 1948-50, rev. 1965 [voice and piano], from Songs of Innocence, no. 2, another version exists for voice, flute, and string quintet (composed 1966-71) [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Dorothy Wauchope Stewart , "The shepherd", published c1926 [unison and 2-part treble chorus], from Eight Songs of Innocence, no. 2, London : H. W. F. Deane & Sons, The Year Book Press [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Anthony Strilko (b. 1931), "The shepherd", 1960? [high voice and piano], from Songs of Innocence, no. 5. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by William Henry Swinburne , "The shepherd", published 1950 [female voices and piano or harp], from Five Miniatures for Female Voices and Piano (or Harp), no. 2, London : Boosey & Hawkes [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by John Austin Sykes (1909 - 1962), "The shepherd", 1935-6, first performed 1975 [voice and piano], from Songs of Innocence, no. 3. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Jean Taylor , "The shepherd", published c1926, from Three Songs of Innocence, NY : Elva W. Wilcox [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Eric Harding Thiman (1900 - 1975), "The shepherd", published c1926 [high voice and piano], London : Augener (Galliard) [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872 - 1958), "The shepherd", 1957, published 1958 [voice and oboe], from Ten Blake Songs, no. 6. [ sung text checked 1 time]
by Ernest Walker (1870 - 1949), "The shepherd", op. 7 no. 1, published 1898 [SS chorus or SA chorus and piano], from Songs of Innocence, no. 1, London : J. Williams [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by William Wallace (1860 - 1940), "The shepherd", published c1911 [medium voice and piano], from Three Songs, no. 3, London : Stainer & Bell [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Rudolph T. Werther (1896 - 1986), "The shepherd" [voice and piano], from Book of Religious Songs, no. 7. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by John Ebenezer West (1863 - 1929), "The shepherd", published c1918 [vocal trio for three treble voices a cappella], partsong; in Junior Songs [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Robert Paul Wetzler (b. 1932), "The shepherd", published c1984 [SSAA chorus, harp (or piano), oboe, and violin], from Three Songs of Innocence, no. 1, Minneapolis : AMSI, commissioned by Augsburg College Chorale, 1982 [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by John David White (b. 1931), "The shepherd", first performed 1957. [medium voice and piano] [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Philip George Wilkinson (b. 1929), "The shepherd", published c1955 [unison chorus and piano], London : Novello [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Patrick Williams (1905 - 1985), "The shepherd", published c1950 [vocal duet for 2 treble voices and piano], London : Bosworth & Co. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Julie Lofgren Wolford , "The shepherd", published c1975 [medium voice and piano], Delaware Water Gap, PA : H. Flammer ; the text also includes a paraphrase of Psalm 23 [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Amy Worth (1888 - 1967), "The shepherd", published c1926 [high voice or medium voice and piano], NY : G. Schirmer [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
by Ruth Shaw Wylie (b. 1916), "The shepherd", op. 13 no. 4 (1950, c1974), published 1977 [SATB chorus a cappella], from Five Madrigals to Poems by William Blake, from Songs of Innocence and Experience, no. 4, West Babylon, NY : Branch [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

Researcher for this text: Ted Perry

This text was added to the website: 2003-12-11
Line count: 8
Word count: 61