by William Blake (1757 - 1827)
Sleep, sleep, beauty bright
Language: English
Our translations: GER
Sleep, sleep, beauty bright, Dreaming o'er the joys of night; Sleep, sleep, in thy sleep Little sorrows sit and weep. Sweet babe, in thy face Soft desires I can trace, Secret joys and secret smiles, Little pretty infant wiles. As thy softest limbs I feel, Smiles as of the morning steal O'er thy cheek, and o'er thy breast Where thy little heart does rest. O! the cunning wiles that creep In thy little heart asleep. When thy little heart does wake Then the dreadful lightnings break, From thy cheek and from thy eye, O'er the youthful harvests nigh. Infant wiles and infant smiles Heaven and Earth of peace beguiles.
B. Britten sets stanzas 1-2, 4-5
J. Carpenter sets stanzas 1-2
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by William Blake (1757 - 1827), "A cradle song", written c1793, appears in Notebook, possibly intended for Songs of Innocence [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 Harry Hurlbutt Albino (1889 - 1957), "Cradle song", published c1930 [ three-part chorus ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by (Thomas) Athanasios Aronis (b. 1935), "Cradle song", from Blake Song Cycle, no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
- by (Archie Thomas) Lee Ashton (b. 1873), "Cradle song", published c1925 [ duet for female voices ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ernst Bacon (1898 - 1990), "A cradle song", 1948 [ SS chorus and piano ], from Four innocent airs, no. 4 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Granville Ransome Bantock, Sir (1868 - 1946), "Beauty bright", published 1922 [ partsong for SS chorus and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by (Edward) Benjamin Britten (1913 - 1976), "A cradle song", op. 41 no. 1, published 1949, stanzas 1-2,4-5 [ mezzo-soprano and piano ], from A Charm of Lullabies, no. 1, London : Boosey & Hawkes [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Harry Brook (1893 - ?), "Sleep, sleep, beauty bright", published 1927 [ partsong for 2-part women's chorus and piano ], London : Oxford University Press [sung text not yet checked]
- by John Callis Brydson (b. 1900), "A cradle song", published 1938 [ SSA chorus and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by (Thomas) Frederick Handel Candlyn (1892 - 1964), "Sleep, beauty bright", published 1949 [ vocal trio of female voices with piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by John Alden Carpenter (1876 - 1951), "A cradle-song", 1911, published 1912, stanzas 1-2 [ voice and piano ], from Eight Songs, no. 8 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by John Chorbajian (b. 1936), "A cradle song", published 1977 [ SSAA chorus and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Rebecca Clarke (1886 - 1979), "Cradle song", published 1929 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Bartley Currie , "Cradle song", published c1914 [ medium voice and piano ], London : West & Co. [sung text not yet checked]
- by Brian Blyth Daubney (b. 1929), "Cradle song", published c1962 [ SATB chorus a cappella ], London : E. Ashdown [sung text not yet checked]
- by Duncan W. Dearle , "Sleep, sleep, beauty bright", published 1927 [ partsong: SSA chorus a cappella ], London : Stainer & Bell [sung text not yet checked]
- by William Edmondstoune Duncan (1866 - 1920), "Cradle song", published 1894 [ voice and piano ], London : Augener [sung text not yet checked]
- by Thomas Frederick Dunhill (1877 - 1946), "Sleep, sweet babe", published 1901 [ voice and piano ], London : Boosey & Co. [sung text not yet checked]
- by Paul N. Edmonds (b. 1873), "Sleep, sleep, beauty bright", published 1924 [ SSA chorus a cappella ], London: J. B. Cramer & Co. [sung text not yet checked]
- by Christopher Montague Edmunds (1899 - 1990), "Cradle song", published c1924 [ partsong : vocal trio for female voices a cappella ], York (England) : Banks & Son [sung text not yet checked]
- by Paul Eisler (1878? - 1951), "Cradle song", published c1944 [ three-part women's chorus ], New York : Broadcast Music [sung text not yet checked]
- by Arthur Farwell (1872 - 1952), "A cradle song ", op. 88 no. 2 [ medium voice and piano ], from Two Songs on Poems by William Blake, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Robert James Berkeley Fleming (1921 - 1976), "Cradle song", 1937 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Eleanor Everest Freer (1864 - 1942), "Cradle song", op. 4 no. 1, published 1905 [ medium voice and piano ], from A Book of Songs, no. 1, Milwaukee : W. A. Kaun Music [sung text not yet checked]
- by John Linton Gardner (1917 - 2011), "A cradle song ", op. 138 no. 3 (c1977) [ double chorus of mixed chorus a cappella ], from Nine poems from the note-book (1793) of William Blake, no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Percival Garratt (1877 - 1953), "Lullaby", alternate title: "Sleep, beauty bright", op. 30 (Three songs) no. 2, published c1914 [ medium voice and piano ], London : West & Co. [sung text not yet checked]
- by Rosy Auguste Geiger Kullman (1886 - 1964), "Sleep, sleep, beauty bright" [ voice and piano ], from Five Old Love Songs, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Cecil Armstrong Gibbs (1889 - 1960), "Lullaby", op. 3, published 1914 [ medium voice and piano ], London : Stainer & Bell [sung text not yet checked]
- by Cecil Armstrong Gibbs (1889 - 1960), "Cradle song", published c1935 [ TTBB chorus a cappella ], London : W. Rogers (Boosey & Hawkes) [sung text not yet checked]
- by Frank Glazer (b. 1915), "A cradle song", published c1941 [ voice and piano ], NY : Broadcast Music [sung text not yet checked]
- by Richard Hageman (1881 - 1966), "Little sorrows", published c1924 [ high voice and piano ], Philadelphia, Th. Presser Co. [sung text not yet checked]
- by Philip Hagemann , "Sweet babe", published c1977 [ soprano, SATB chorus, and piano ], Tarpinian Music Associates & Intrepid Music [sung text not yet checked]
- by Alfred Matthew Hale (1875 - 1960), "A cradle song", op. 29 no. 1, published 1913 [ voice, piano, and violin obbligato ], from Five Songs, no. 1, London : A. Lengnick [sung text not yet checked]
- by Iain Ellis Hamilton (1922 - 2000), "Cradle Song (from "Vespers")", published c1981 [ SATB chorus and piano ], Bryn Mawr, PA : Theodore Presser Co. [sung text not yet checked]
- by Fritz Bennicke Hart (1874 - 1949), "A slumber song", op. 13 (Seven songs) no. 2 (1913), published 1920 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Arthur Martinus Hartmann (1881 - 1956), "Sleep, beauty bright (Cradle Song)", published c1911 [ high voice and piano ], Boston, White-Smith Music Publ. Co. [sung text not yet checked]
- by Basil Harwood (1859 - 1949), "A cradle song", op. 3 (Six Songs) no. 4, published 1885 [ high voice and piano ], London, Stanley Lucas, Weber & Co. [sung text not yet checked]
- by Harold S. Johnson , "Cradle song", published c1911, from Sketches, no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Dorothy Hill Klotzman , "Sleep, sleep", published c1967 [ 2-part chorus a cappella ], from Poetical Sketches, no. 6, NY : Mercury Music Corp. [sung text not yet checked]
- by Peter Lamb , "Cradle song", 1973, rev. 1986, first performed 1973 [ SSA chorus and harp ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Huub de Lange (b. 1955), "Cradle song", published 2007 [ SATB chorus a cappella ], from Four Blake Songs, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Sven Lekberg (1899 - 1984), "Little sorrows sit and weep", published c1971 [ four-part mixed chorus a cappella ], New York, G. Schirmer [sung text not yet checked]
- by William H. London (1870 - ?), "A cradle song ", published 1902 [ SATB chorus a cappella ], London : Novello [sung text not yet checked]
- by John H. Major , "Cradle song", published c1911 [ medium voice and piano ], London : Opus Music Co. [sung text not yet checked]
- by Cameron McGraw (b. 1919), "A cradle song ", c1948 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Margaret Starr McLain (b. 1905), "To a child asleep", published c1946 [ medium voice and piano ], NY : Edwin E. Morris & Co. [sung text not yet checked]
- by Erkki Gustaf Melartin (1875 - 1937), "Cradle song -- Wiegenlied", op. 65 (1910), published 1910 [ voice and string quartet or orchestra ], London : Weekes & Co. [sung text not yet checked]
- by Robin Humphrey Milford (1903 - 1959), "Cradle song", 1935, published c1936 [ voice and piano ], London : Oxford University Press [sung text not yet checked]
- by Oskar Morawetz (b. 1917), "Cradle song", 1949, published 1962, first performed 1950 [ medium voice and piano ], Toronto : MCA-Canada [sung text not yet checked]
- by Thomas Tertius Noble (1867 - 1953), "Cradle song", published c1914 [ ATTB chorus a cappella ], NY : G. Schirmer [sung text not yet checked]
- by George C. Palmer (1879 - 1968), "Slumber song", published 1948 [ unison chorus and piano ], Oakville, Ontario : Frederick Harris Music Co. [sung text not yet checked]
- by Alexander Paucker (1905 - 1972), as Francis Chagrin, "Cradle song", published 1952 [ SSA chorus and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by John Pointer (d. 1934), "A cradle song", op. 9 no. 5, published c1913 [ SATB chorus a cappella ], London : Stainer & Bell [sung text not yet checked]
- by Arthur Poyser , "Cradle song", published c1903 [ voice and piano ], London: Weekes & Co. ; Chicago : C. F. Summy Co. [sung text not yet checked]
- by Daniel Protheroe (1866 - 1934), "A cradle song", published c1928 [ three-part women's chorus a cappella ], Boston : Boston Music Co. [sung text not yet checked]
- by Thomas Rajna (b. 1928), "Cradle song", 1948 [ voice and piano ], from Four Early Songs, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Reginald Redman (1892 - 1972), "Cradle song", published c1926 [ unison chorus of treble voices ], London : Oxford University Press [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hugh Stevenson Roberton, Sir (1874 - 1952), "Blake's cradle song", published c1934 [ voice and piano ], London : J. Curwen [sung text not yet checked]
- by Dagmar de Corval Rybner (1890 - 1965), "Slav cradle song", published c1917 [ medium voice and piano ], Boston : Oliver Ditson Co. [sung text not yet checked]
- by Charles Villiers Stanford, Sir (1852 - 1924), "Cradle song", published c1907 [ vocal duet for 2 equal voices ], partsong; London : J. Curwen [sung text not yet checked]
- by Alfred Lionel Stephens , "Sleep, sleep, beauty bright ", published 1914 [ men's chorus (ATTB) ], partsong; London : Novello [sung text not yet checked]
- by Valma June Streathfield (b. 1932), "Blake's cradle song", 1977 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Phyllis Margaret Duncan Tate (1911 - 1987), "Beauty bright", published 1979, 1980 [ unison or solo voices with optional descant and piano ], Wendover, England : Roberton Publications ; one of three settings [sung text not yet checked]
- by Phyllis Margaret Duncan Tate (1911 - 1987), "Cradle song", published c1935 [ voice and piano ], London : Oxford University Press ; one of three settings [sung text not yet checked]
- by Phyllis Margaret Duncan Tate (1911 - 1987), "Cradle song", 1976 [ mixed chorus a cappella ], one of three settings [sung text not yet checked]
- by Jack Meredith Tatton (1901 - 1970), "Sleep, sleep, beauty bright ", published c1943 [ SSA chorus a cappella ], Boston : C. C. Birchard & Co. [sung text not yet checked]
- by Robert George Thompson , "Cradle song", published c1928 [ SA chorus and piano ], London : J. Curwen [sung text not yet checked]
- by Wesley Allan Ward , "A cradle song ", 1972 [ soprano and piano ], from Three Children's Songs : Poems of William Blake, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Rudolph T. Werther (1896 - 1986), "Cradle song", 1960 [ voice and piano ], from Song Cycle : On Children, no. 6 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Felix Harold White (1884 - 1945), "Cradle song", published c1921 [ medium voice and piano ], London : Goodwin & Tabb [sung text not yet checked]
- by John David White (b. 1931), "A cradle song", published c1969, first performed 1957 [ high voice and piano ], NY : Galaxy Music Corp, in Contemporary Art Song Album [sung text not yet checked]
- by Maude Valérie White (1855 - 1937), "Sleep, sleep, beauty bright ", published c1892 [ SA chorus (or solo voice, omitting second part) and piano ], from Twelve Songs for Children, no. 1, London : Boosey & Co. [sung text not yet checked]
- by Maude Valérie White (1855 - 1937), "Sleep, sleep, beauty bright", published c1904 [ medium/high voice and piano ], from Two Songs of Innocence, no. 1, London & NY : Boosey & Co. [sung text not yet checked]
- by William Brocklesby Wordsworth (1908 - 1988), "Cradle song", op. 56 no. 5 (1953), published 1960 [ SATB chorus and piano ], from Childhood Visions, no. 5, London : A. Lengnick (Belwin-Mills) [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in English, [adaptation] ; composed by Richard Bamford Lane.
- Also set in Welsh (Cymraeg), a translation by William Evans (1883 - 1968) , copyright © ; composed by Haydn Morris.
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- GER German (Deutsch) [singable] (Bertram Kottmann) , copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Geoffrey Wieting
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 109