by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788 - 1824)
They say that Hope is happiness
Language: English
They say that Hope is happiness -- But genuine Love must prize the past; And mem'ry wakes the thoughts that bless They rose the first -- they set the last. And all that mem'ry loves the most Was once our only hope to be: And all that hope adored and lost Hath melted into memory. Alas! it is delusion all -- The future cheats us from afar, Nor can we be what we recall, Nor dare we think on what we are.
Text Authorship:
- by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788 - 1824), "They say that Hope is happiness", appears in Hebrew Melodies, no. 29, 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 Giacomo Arri , "They say that Hope is happiness", published 1841 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Leonard J[ordan] Lehrman (b. 1949), "They say that Hope is happiness ", op. 36 no. 2 (1973) [ female voice with piano or winds ], from Two songs of a madman, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Isaac Nathan (1790 - 1864), "They say that Hope is happiness", published 1815 [ voice and piano ], from A Selection of Hebrew Melodies No. I, no. 29 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by John Thomson (1805 - 1841), "They say that Hope is happiness", published 1834 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Alexis Paulin Pâris) , "Ils disent que l'espérance est du bonheur", appears in Mélodies hébraïques, no. 29
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2009-08-09
Line count: 12
Word count: 79