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In the convent of Drontheim, Alone in her chamber Knelt Astrid the Abbess, At midnight, adoring, Beseeching, entreating The Virgin and Mother. She heard in the silence The voice of one speaking, Without in the darkness, In gusts of the night-wind, Now louder, now nearer, Now lost in the distance. The voice of a stranger It seemed as she listened, Of some one who answered, Beseeching, imploring, A cry from afar off She could not distinguish. The voice of Saint John, The beloved disciple, Who wandered and waited The Master's appearance, Alone in the darkness, Unsheltered and friendless. "It is accepted The angry defiance, The challenge of battle! It is accepted, But not with the weapons Of war that thou wieldest! "Cross against corselet, Love against hatred, Peace-cry for war-cry! Patience is powerful; He that o'ercometh Hath power o'er the nations! "As torrents in summer, Half dried in their channels, Suddenly rise, though the Sky is still cloudless, For rain has been falling Far off at their fountains; So hearts that are fainting Grow full to o'erflowing, And they that behold it Marvel, and know not That God at their fountains Far off has been raining! "Stronger than steel Is the sword of the Spirit; Swifter than arrows The light of the truth is, Greater than anger Is love, and subdueth! "Thou art a phantom, A shape of the sea-mist, A shape of the brumal Rain, and the darkness Fearful and formless; Day dawns and thou art not! "The dawn is not distant, Nor is the night starless; [Love is eternal! God is still God, and His faith shall not fail us; Christ is eternal!"]1
E. Elgar sets stanzas 7-8
C. Donkin sets stanza 11
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View original text (without footnotes)1 omitted by Donkin.
Text Authorship:
- by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807 - 1882), "The Nun of Nidaros", appears in Tales of a Wayside Inn, in The Musician's Tale; The Saga of King Olaf, no. 22, first published 1863 [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 Dudley Buck (1839 - 1909), "The Nun of Nidaros", published 1879 [ tenor, men's chorus, piano obbligato, reed organ ad libitum ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Edward Elgar, Sir (1857 - 1934), "As torrents in summer", 1896, stanzas 7-8 [ chorus ], partsong [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Daniel Protheroe (1866 - 1934), "The Nun of Nidaros", op. 63, published 1902 [ TTBB chorus and orchestra ], also set in Geman (translated by E. Buek) [sung text not yet checked]
This text (or a part of it) is used in a work
- by Christine Donkin , "The Dawn is not Distant" [ women's chorus ], Cypress Choral Music
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in English, adapted by Harry Arbuthnot Acworth (1849 - 1933) [an adaptation] ; composed by Edward Elgar, Sir.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) (Lidy van Noordenburg) , "Als stromen in de zomer", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Virginia Knight
This text was added to the website: 2008-06-23
Line count: 66
Word count: 276
Als stromen in de zomer, half verdroogd in hun bedding, Plotseling zwellen bij een wolkenloze hemel. Omdat het geregend heeft Ver weg bij de bron. Dan zwellen dorstige harten zó Dat ze overlopen. Degenen die het aanschouwen Verbazen zich, maar weten niet Dat God het bij de bron Heeft laten regenen.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from English to Dutch (Nederlands) copyright © 2008 by Lidy van Noordenburg, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in English by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807 - 1882), "The Nun of Nidaros", appears in Tales of a Wayside Inn, in The Musician's Tale; The Saga of King Olaf, no. 22, first published 1863
This text was added to the website: 2008-02-23
Line count: 12
Word count: 52