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A Song of Enchantment I sang me there, In a green-green wood, by waters fair, Just as the words came up to me I sang it under the wild wood tree. Widdershins turned I, singing it low, Watching the wild birds come and go; No cloud in the deep dark blue to be seen Under the thick-thatched branches green. Twilight came; silence came; The planet of Evening's silver flame; By darkening paths I wandered through Thickets trembling with drops of dew. But the music is lost and the words are gone Of the song I sang as I sat alone, Ages and ages have fallen on me - On the wood and the pool and the elder tree.
Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada and the U.S., but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.
Confirmed with Peacock Pie. A Book of Rhymes by Walter de la Mare, London: Constable & Co. Ltd., [1920], p. 171.
Text Authorship:
- by Walter De la Mare (1873 - 1956), "A Song of Enchantment", appears in Peacock Pie: A Book of Rhymes, in 8. Songs, no. 4, first published 1913 [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 Ina Boyle (1889 - 1967), "A Song of Enchantment", published <<1940 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by (Edward) Benjamin Britten (1913 - 1976), "A Song of Enchantment", published 1969 [ voice and piano ], from Tit for tat, no. 1 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Victor Edward Galway , "A Song of Enchantment", published 1939 [ 2-part chorus and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Una cançó d’encanteri ", copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Un chant d'enchantement", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- GER German (Deutsch) (Harald Krebs) , "Ein Lied der Verzauberung", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- GER German (Deutsch) (Bertram Kottmann) , "Ein verwunschenes Lied", copyright © 2013, (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: 16
Word count: 117
Je chantais là un chant d'enchantement, Dans un bois tout vert, près de jolies eaux, Juste comme les mots me venaient Je le chantais sous l'arbre du bois sauvage. Dos au soleil, chantant tout bas, Regardant les oiseaux sauvages aller et venir ; Aucun nuage dans le ciel bleu foncé en vue Sous les branches vertes bien épaisses. Le soir tomba ; le silence vint ; La planète d'argent du soir se mit à briller ; Par des chemins sombres, je me promenais à travers Des fourrés tremblant avec des gouttes de rosée. Mais la musique est perdue et les mots sont partis Du chant que je chantais assis seul, Les années, l'une après l'autre, sont tombées sur moi, Sur le bois, sur l'étang et du vieil arbre.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from English to French (Français) copyright © 2011 by Guy Laffaille, (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 Walter De la Mare (1873 - 1956), "A Song of Enchantment", appears in Peacock Pie: A Book of Rhymes, in 8. Songs, no. 4, first published 1913
This text was added to the website: 2011-06-29
Line count: 16
Word count: 124