by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788 - 1824)
Translation by Franz Theremin (1780 - 1846)
The harp the monarch minstrel swept
Language: English
The harp the monarch minstrel swept, The King of men, the loved of Heaven, Which Music hallow'd while she wept O'er tones her heart of hearts had given, Redoubled be her tears, its chords are riven! It soften'd men of iron mould, It gave them virtues not their own; No ear so dull, no soul so cold, That felt not, fired not to the tone, Till David's lyre grew mightier than his throne! It told the triumphs of our King, It wafted glory to our God; It made our gladden'd valleys ring, The cedars bow, the mountains nod; Its sound aspired to heaven and there abode! Since then, though heard on earth no more, Devotion and her daughter Love Still bid the bursting spirit soar To sounds that seem as from above, In dreams that day's broad light can not remove.
Text Authorship:
- by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788 - 1824), "The harp the monarch minstrel swept", appears in Hebrew Melodies, no. 2, first published 1815 [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 Samuel Bugatch , "The harp the monarch minstrel swept", published 1943 [ mixed chorus and orchestra ], from Judea [sung text not yet checked]
- by Otto Luening (1900 - 1996), "The harp the monarch minstrel swept", 1951 [ soprano and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Isaac Nathan (1790 - 1864), "The harp the monarch minstrel swept", published 1815 [ voice and piano ], from A Selection of Hebrew Melodies No. I, no. 2 [sung text checked 1 time]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Franz Theremin (1780 - 1846) , "Davids Harfe", appears in Hebräische Gesänge, first published 1820 ; composed by Carl Loewe.
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Adolf Böttger (1815 - 1870) , "Die Harfe hat des Gottgeliebten", appears in Hebräische Melodien, no. 2, first published 1841 ; composed by Max Seifriz, János Végh, as Johann Végh.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Alexis Paulin Pâris) , "Hélas! qu'est devenue la harpe du royal ménestrel", appears in Mélodies hébraïques, no. 2
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2004-05-08
Line count: 20
Word count: 141
Davids Harfe
Language: German (Deutsch) after the English
O Harfe, die des Gottgeliebten Hand, Des königlichen Sängers, hat geschlagen, Die, was die Andacht Innigstes empfand, Auf den geweihten Tönen hat getragen, Wie muß jetzt fromme Kunst dein Schweigen klagen! Es ward Gemüthern, die von Erz, Durch dich die ungewohnte Sanftmuth theuer; Es war kein Ohr so stumpf, so roh kein Herz, Das nicht empfand, nicht glüht' von heilgem Feuer; Und mächt'ger als sein Thron, ward Davids Leier! Es feierte den Ewigen ihr Klang; Ihr Ton war seiner großen Werke Spiegel; Es horchten froh die Thäler dem Gesang, Die Zedern ließ er hüpfen und die Hügel, Und drang zu Gott auf der Begeistrung Flügel. Verklungen ist er jedem Ohr, Von Andacht nur und Liebe noch vernommen. Für diese bricht ihr hoher Geist hervor. In Tönen, Träumen, die vom Himmel kommen, Und die kein Tageslicht entführt dem Herz der Frommen.
Text Authorship:
- by Franz Theremin (1780 - 1846), "Davids Harfe", appears in Hebräische Gesänge, first published 1820 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788 - 1824), "The harp the monarch minstrel swept", appears in Hebrew Melodies, no. 2, first published 1815
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Carl Loewe (1796 - 1869), "Davids Harfe", op. 14 (Hebräische Gesänge) no. 3 (1826) [ voice and piano or vocal quartet ] [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2009-08-10
Line count: 20
Word count: 140