I praise the tender flower
Language: English
I praise the tender flower,
That on a mournful day
Bloomed in my garden bower
And made the winter gay.
Its loveliness contented
My heart tormented.
I praise the gentle maid
Whose happy voice and smile
To confidence betrayed
My doleful heart awhile;
And gave my spirit deploring
Fresh wings for soaring.
The maid for very fear
Of love I durst not tell:
The rose could never hear,
Though I bespake her well:
So in my song I bind them
For all to find them.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Frank Bridge (1879 - 1941), "I praise the tender flower", 1905, first performed 1909, orchestrated 1906 [ baritone and piano or orchestra ], from Two Songs for High Baritone and Orchestra, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Gerald Finzi (1901 - 1956), "I praise the tender flower", op. 17 no. 1, published 1934-37 [ SATB chorus a cappella ], from Seven Unaccompanied Part Songs, no. 1 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Ivor (Bertie) Gurney (1890 - 1937), "I praise the tender flower", 1911, published 1952 [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Liza Lehmann (1862 - 1918), "I praise the tender flower", <<1918 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Charles Hubert Hastings Parry, Sir (1848 - 1918), "I praise the tender flower", published 1954 [ SSA chorus a cappella ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Charles Villiers Stanford, Sir (1852 - 1924), "I praise the tender flower", op. 43 (Three songs) no. 2 (1891), published 1896-1897 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Charles Hylton Stewart (1884 - 1932), "I praise the tender flower", published <<1940 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) (Wim Reedijk) , "Ik prijs de bloem met tere steel", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [
Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 18
Word count: 85
Ik prijs de bloem met tere steel
Language: Dutch (Nederlands) after the English
Ik prijs de bloem met tere steel
Die eens, het was een droeve dag
Ging bloeien in mijn tuinprieel
En winter tooide met een lach.
Haar liefelijkheid beviel
Mijn aangeslagen ziel.
Ik prijs de vrouw met stil gemoed
Wier heldere stem door lieve groet
Mij met hoop vervullen doet
En mijn mismoedig hart verzoet.
Zij geeft mijn ziel die was ontdaan
De vleugels om weer uit te slaan.
Maar nooit komt die vrouw ter ore
Wat ik uit liefde niet bekennen durf
Terwijl die roos niet eens kan horen
Al maak ik haar met woorden murw.
Laat dan mijn lied die twee verbinden
Voor wie hen graag zou willen vinden.
Text Authorship:
Based on:
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 18
Word count: 110