The twilight turns from amethyst | The twilight turns from amethyst

by James Joyce (1882 - 1941)

The twilight turns from amethyst

Language: English

Our translations: FRE

The twilight turns from amethyst 
  To deep and deeper blue, 
The lamp fills with a pale green glow 
  The trees of the avenue. 

The old piano plays an air, 
  Sedate and slow and gay; 
She bends upon the yellow keys, 
  Her head inclines this way. 

Shy thoughts and grave wide eyes and hands 
  That wander as they list? 
The twilight turns to darker blue 
  With lights of amethyst.

About the headline (FAQ)

Text Authorship:

by James Joyce (1882 - 1941), appears in Chamber Music, no. 2, first published 1907 [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 David Arditti (b. 1964), no title, op. 20 no. 2 (1998) [ tenor and string quartet ], from Chamber Music, no. 2 [sung text checked 1 time]
by Gary Bachlund (b. 1947), "Twilight", 1991, published 1996 [ high voice or medium voice and piano ], from Chamber Music, no. 2 [sung text checked 1 time]
by Ross Lee Finney (1906 - 1997), "The twilight turns from amethyst ", 1952, published 1985, first performed 1975 [ voice and piano ], from Chamber Music, no. 2, Henmar Press [sung text not yet checked]
by Ronald Perera (b. 1941), "The twilight turns from amethyst", 1985 [ high voice and piano ], from Sleep Now, no. 4, Boosey & Hawkes [sung text not yet checked]
by Tom Vernon Ritchie (b. 1922), "The twilight turns from amethyst" [ voice and string quartet or piano ], from Serenade [sung text not yet checked]
by Wayland Rogers , "The twilight turns from amethyst " [ high voice and piano ], from Five James Joyce Poems, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
by Rick Sowash (b. 1950), "Twilight", 1975 [ soprano and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 68