by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806 - 1861)
Translation by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926)
When our two souls stand up erect and...
Language: English
When our two souls stand up erect and strong, Face to face, silent, drawing nigh and nigher, Until the lengthening wings break into fire At either curvëd point, -- what bitter wrong Can the earth do to us, that we should not long Be here contented? Think! In mounting higher, The angels would press on us and aspire To drop some golden orb of perfect song Into our deep, dear silence. Let us stay Rather on earth, Belovëd, -- where the unfit Contrarious moods of men recoil away And isolate pure spirits, and permit A place to stand and love in for a day, With darkness and the death-hour rounding it.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806 - 1861), no title, appears in Poems, in Sonnets from the Portuguese, no. 22, first published 1847 [author's text not yet checked 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 Celius Dougherty (1902 - 1986), "When our two souls stand up erect and strong", 1975 [ soprano and piano ], from Eglantine and Ivy [sung text not yet checked]
- by Eleanor Everest Freer (1864 - 1942), "When our two souls stand up erect and strong", published 1910 [ medium voice and piano ], from Sonnets from the Portuguese, no. 22 [sung text not yet checked]
- by William Arthur Goldsworthy (1878 - 1966), "When our two souls stand up erect and strong", published 1932 [ alto and piano ], from How Do I Love Thee [sung text not yet checked]
- by Fritz Bennicke Hart (1874 - 1949), "When our two souls", op. 116 (Three Sonnets) no. 3 (1935) [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by (Charles) Alfred de Kaiser (1872 - 1917), "United", published 1912 [ duet for soprano and tenor with piano ], from Seven Sonnets from the Portuguese [sung text not yet checked]
- by Michael Alexander Kimbell (b. 1946), "When our two souls stand up erect and strong", 1965-6, first performed 1966 [ soprano and piano ], from Three Sonnets from the Portuguese [sung text not yet checked]
- by Reginald Chauncey Robbins (1871 - 1955), "Sonnet from the Portuguese", published 1923 [ medium-low voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Carlos Surinach (b. 1915), "Our two souls", published 1966 [ voice and piano ], from Flamenco Meditations [sung text not yet checked]
- by Louise Juliette Talma (1906 - 1996), "When our two souls stand up", 1934 [ voice and piano ], from Five Sonnets from the Portuguese, no. 4 [sung text not yet checked]
- by (James) Healey Willan (1880 - 1968), "Sonnet", published 1925 [ high voice and piano ], from Healy Willan Song Album, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Arthur Wills (b. 1926), "Sonnet", 1975 [ soprano, clarinet, and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- GER German (Deutsch) (Rainer Maria Rilke) , no title, appears in Sonette aus dem Portugiesischen, no. 22, first published 1908
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2008-07-24
Line count: 14
Word count: 109
Wenn schweigend Angesicht in Angesicht
Language: German (Deutsch) after the English
Wenn schweigend Angesicht in Angesicht, sich unsre Seelen ragende Gestalten so nahe stehn, daß, nicht mehr zu verhalten, ihr Feuerschein aus ihren Flügeln bricht: was tut uns diese Erde dann noch banges? Kaum;- sie schütteten uns Sterne des Gesanges in unsres Schweigens lieben tiefen Raum. Nein, laß uns besser auf der Erde bleiben, wo alles Trübe, was die andern treiben, die Reinen einzeln zueinander hebt. Da ist gerade Platz zum Stehn und Lieben für einen Tag, von Dunkelheit umschwebt und von der Todesstunde rund umschrieben.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926), no title, appears in Sonette aus dem Portugiesischen, no. 22, first published 1908 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806 - 1861), no title, appears in Poems, in Sonnets from the Portuguese, no. 22, first published 1847
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2009-02-19
Line count: 13
Word count: 85