Attention! Some of this material is not in the public domain.
It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.
To inquire about permissions and rates, contact Emily Ezust at licenses@email.lieder.example.net
If you wish to reprint translations, please make sure you include the names of the translators in your email. They are below each translation.
Note: You must use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.
The sun does arise, And make happy the skies; The merry bells ring To welcome the Spring; The skylark and thrush, The birds of the bush, Sing louder around To the bells' cheerful sound; While our sports shall be seen On the echoing green. Old John, with white hair, Does laugh away care, Sitting under the oak, Among the old folk. They laugh at our play, And soon they all say, "Such, such were the joys When we all--girls and boys - In our youth-time were seen On the echoing green." Till the little ones, weary, No more can be merry: The sun does descend, And our sports have an end. Round the laps of their mothers Many sisters and brothers, Like birds in their nest, Are ready for rest, And sport no more seen On the darkening green.
About the headline (FAQ)
Authorship:
- by William Blake (1757 - 1827), "The echoing green", appears in Songs of Innocence and Experience, in Songs of Innocence, no. 3, 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 Phillip Thomas Bezanson (1916 - 1975), "The echoing green", published 1959, from Songs of Innocence, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
- by William Bolcom (b. 1938), "The echoing green", 1956-81 [ solo voices, chorus, orchestra ], from Songs of Innocence, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
- by A. (Alfred or Arthur?) Herbert Brewer (1865 - 1928), "The echoing green", published c1917 [ vocal duet with piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Frederick Matthias Breydert (b. 1909), "The echoing green", published c1950 [ voice and piano ], Boston, Boston Music Co. [sung text not yet checked]
- by (William) Havergal Brian (1876 - 1972), "The echoing green", 1913, published 1922 [ SSA trio with piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by William Busch (1901 - 1945), "The echoing green", published 1944, from Two Songs of William Blake, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
- by (Henry) Elliot Button (1861 - ?), "The echoing green", published 1892, from Songs of Innocence, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Anthony Douglass Caesar (1924 - 2018), "The echoing green", published c1948 [ unison chorus ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Vincent Henry Palmer Caillard, Sir (1856 - 1930), "The echoing green", published 1891 [ voice and piano ], from The Songs of Innocence of William Blake, no. 3, London : Novello, Ewer & Co. [sung text not yet checked]
- by Arnold Atkinson Cooke (1906 - 2005), "The echoing green", 1956, published 1960 [ soprano, clarinet in A, piano ], from Three Songs of Innocence, no. 3 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Emily Crocker (b. 1949), "The echoing green", published c1985 [ SSA chorus a cappella ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Norman Curtis (b. 1933), "The echoing green", c1959 [ voice and piano ], from William Blake's Songs of Innocence and of Experience, no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Celius Dougherty (1902 - 1986), "The echoing green", 1957-8, rev. 1977 [ SATB chorus ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by John Frandsen (b. 1956), "The echoing green", 1984? [ soprano and guitar ], from Songs of Innocence II, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ole Carsten Green (b. 1922), "The echoing green", op. 27b no. 3 (1973) [ voice and piano ], from Songs of Innocence, no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Jonathan Harvey (1939 - 2012), "The sun does arise", 1977, published c1979, first performed 1977 [ SSATB soli and chamber ensemble of 12 instruments, synthesizer, amplification, and prepared tape ], from Inner Light II, London : Faber [sung text not yet checked]
- by Christian Victor Hely-Hutchinson (1901 - 1947), "The echoing green", 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. 1, London : Elkin & Co. [sung text not yet checked]
- by Gary Michael Higginson (b. 1952), "The echoing green", op. 33 no. 3 (1977), first performed 1979 [ duet for soprano and bass ], from Seven Songs of William Blake, Set I, no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Joseph Holbrooke (1878 - 1958), "Echoing green", op. 130 no. 2 (1934), from Songs of Innocence, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
- by John (Nicholson) Ireland (1879 - 1962), "The echoing green", 1913, published c1914 [ SA chorus and piano ], from Eight songs for upper voices and piano, no. 7, London: J. Curwen [sung text not yet checked]
- by Gordon Percival Septimus Jacob (1895 - 1984), "The echoing green", published 1950 [ SSA chorus, strings, and piano ], from A Goodly Heritage: Twelve Songs of the Countryside, no. 10, London : J. Williams [sung text not yet checked]
- by (John) Michael Jacques (b. 1944), "The echoing green", 1966 [ soprano voices and piano with optional accompaniment for strings, 2 clarinets, and piano ], from Six Songs of Innocence, no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
- by (Herbert) Kelsey Jones (b. 1922), "The echoing green ", 1961 [ soprano, piano, and chamber orchestra ], from Songs of Innocence, no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Iain Philip Kendell (b. 1931), "The echoing green ", published c1962 [ chorus and instrumental ensemble ], from cantata A Spring Cantata, no. 3, London : J. & W. Chester [sung text not yet checked]
- by Theron Kirk (1919 - 1999), "To welcome the spring", published c1974 [ SATB chorus a cappella ], from Four William Blake Songs, no. 1, Park Ridge, IL : Pallma Music Co. (Kjos) [sung text not yet checked]
- by Christopher Kaye Le Fleming (b. 1908), "The echoing green ", op. 5 no. 2, published c1933 [ soprano, alto, unison chorus, 2-part chorus, piano, and strings ], from The Echoing Green , no. 2, London : J. W. Chester (Marks) [sung text not yet checked]
- by Joan Littlejohn (b. 1937), "The echoing green", 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. 5 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Bertram Luard-Selby (1853 - 1918), "The sun does arise ", published c1908 [ 2-part women's chorus and piano ], London : Novello [sung text not yet checked]
- by Wilfrid Howard Mellers (b. 1914), "The echoing green ", 1976 [ unaccompanied soprano ], from The Echoing Green : Songs of Innocence and Experience, no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ernest John Moeran (1894 - 1950), "The echoing green ", R. 68 (1933), published c1934 [ 2-part women's chorus and piano ], London : H. F. W. Deane & Sons [sung text not yet checked]
- by Raymond Monelle (b. 1937), "The echoing green", 1965 [ soprano, clarinet, horn, and string quartet ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ken Neufeld , "The echoing green ", published c1979 [ SATB chorus a cappella ], from Three Songs of Innocence, no. 3, Fort Lauderdale, FL : Aberdeen Music (Plymouth Music Co.) [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ellen Raskin (1928 - 1984), "The echoing green", published 1966 [ voice and piano or guitar ], from Songs of Innocence, no. 3, Garden City, NY : Doubleday [sung text not yet checked]
- by Richard Roderick-Jones (b. 1947), "The echoing green", 1967-8 [ soprano, SSA chorus, and orchestra ], from cantata Songs of Innocence, no. 6 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Percy W. de Courcy Smale , "The echoing green ", published c1910 [ SATB chorus a cappella ], London : Stainer & Bell [sung text not yet checked]
- by Charles Villiers Stanford, Sir (1852 - 1924), "The echoing green ", published c1907 [ vocal duet for 2 equal voices ], partsong; London : J. Curwen [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ronald Stevenson (b. 1928), "The echoing green", 1948-50, rev. 1965 [ voice and piano ], from Songs of Innocence, no. 3, another version exists for voice, flute, and string quintet (composed 1966-71) [sung text not yet checked]
- by Dorothy Wauchope Stewart , "The echoing green", published c1926 [ unison and 2-part treble chorus ], from Eight Songs of Innocence, no. 3, London : H. W. F. Deane & Sons, The Year Book Press [sung text not yet checked]
- by Anthony Strilko (b. 1931), "The echoing green", 1960? [ high voice and piano ], from Songs of Innocence, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
- by John Austin Sykes (1909 - 1962), "The echoing green", 1935-6, first performed 1975 [ voice and piano ], from Songs of Innocence, no. 4 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Christopher Joseph Thomas (1894 - ?), "The echoing green", published c1950 [ SSAA chorus a cappella ], Florence, KY : Willis Music Co. [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ernest Walker (1870 - 1949), "The echoing green", op. 7 no. 2, published 1898 [ SS chorus or SA chorus and piano ], from Songs of Innocence, no. 2, London : J. Williams [sung text not yet checked]
- by Elinor Remick Warren (1900 - 1991), "On the echoing green ", 1985, published c1987 [ SATB chorus and piano ], NY : Lawson-Gould (Cherry Lane Music) [sung text not yet checked]
- by Robert Paul Wetzler (b. 1932), "The echoing green ", published c1984 [ SSAA chorus, harp (or piano), oboe, and violin ], from Three Songs of Innocence, no. 2, Minneapolis : AMSI, commissioned by Augsburg College Chorale, 1982 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Stephen Wilkinson (b. 1919), "The ecchoing green" [ voice and piano ], note: [sic] on the title; every occurence in the score of 'echoing' is spelled 'ecchoing' [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) (Lidy van Noordenburg) , "Het weerkaatsend groen", copyright © 2008, (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: 30
Word count: 139
De zon komt hoger maakt de sfeer opgetogen; De klok luidt blij Verwelkomt de Mei; De lijster en leeuw'rik, De vogels in hun schik gaan harder fluiten bij 't vrolijk klokgelui, Gezien wordt wat wij doen Op het weerkaatsend groen. Ouderen, met wit haar, Lachen met elkaar, Zittend onder de eik, hun kopzorgen weg. Ze lachen om ons spel En zeggen al snel: Dát, dat was zo leuk Wij werden gezíen als jeugd, Nog jongens en meisjes toen, op het weerkaatsend groen. Tot de kleintjes, moe Zijn, aan hun bedje toe De zon daalt snel Dan eindigt ook ons spel. Op de schoot van hun moeders Liggen zusjes en broertjes Als vogels in hun nest, Slapen ze 't best, Er is niets meer te doen Op het duisterend groen.
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 William Blake (1757 - 1827), "The echoing green", appears in Songs of Innocence and Experience, in Songs of Innocence, no. 3, first published 1789
This text was added to the website: 2008-10-20
Line count: 30
Word count: 129