A Child Asleep
"A Child Asleep" is a song, with lyrics from a poem written by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. It was set to music by the English composer Edward Elgar in December 1909 and published in 1910 by Novello.[1] It was first published by Browning in 1840.[2]
It is dedicated to Anthony Goetz, the son of Ludovic Goetz and Muriel Foster, a favourite singer and personal friend of Elgar.[1]
Lyrics
How he sleepeth!
Vision unto vision calleth,
While the young child dreameth on.
Fair, O dreamer, thee befalleth
With the glory thou hast won!
Darker wert thou in the garden, yestermorn, by summer sun.
We should see the spirits ringing
Round thee, - were the clouds away.
'Tis the child-heart draws them, singing
In the silent-seeming clay -
Singing! - Stars that seem the mutest, go in music, music all the day.
Softly! softly, make no noises!
Now he lieth still and dumb -
Now he hears the angels' voices
Folding silence in the room -
Now he muses deep the meaning of the Heaven-words as they come.
Floweth outward with increase -
Dare not bless him! but be blessèd by his peace - and go in peace.
Recordings
- The Unknown Elgar includes "A Child Asleep" performed by Teresa Cahill (soprano), with Barry Collett (piano).
- The Songs of Edward Elgar SOMM CD 220 Catherine Wyn-Rogers (soprano) with Malcolm Martineau (piano), at Southlands College, London, April 1999
References
- ^ a b Kennedy, Michael (1987). Portrait of Elgar (Third ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 350. ISBN 0-19-284017-7.
- ^ Browning, Elizabeth Barrett; Preston, Harriet Waters (1900). The Complete Poetical Works of Mrs. Browning. Houghton Mifflin. pp. 155–156.
- Percy Young, Elgar O.M.
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