A Song of Flight
"A Song of Flight" is a song written by the English composer Edward Elgar in 1895, as his Op. 31, No. 2, with the words from a poem by Christina Rossetti.[1]
The song was first performed by the Irish baritone Harry Plunket Greene in St. James's Hall on 2 March 1900, together with After, Op. 31, No. 1.[1]
Lyrics
A SONG OF FLIGHT
- While we slumber and sleep
- The sun leaps up from the deep.
- Daylight born at the leap!
- Rapid, dominant, free,
- Athirst to bathe in the uttermost sea.
- While we linger at play,
- If the year would stand at May!
- Winds are up and away
- Over land, over sea,
- To their goal wherever their goal may be.
- It is time to arise
- To race for the promised prize,
- The Sun flies, the Wind flies.
- We are strong, we are free,
- And home lies beyond the stars and the sea.
References
- ^ a b Kennedy, Michael (1987). Portrait of Elgar (Third ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 342. ISBN 0-19-284017-7.
- Banfield, Stephen, Sensibility and English Song: Critical studies of the early 20th century (Cambridge University Press, 1985) ISBN 0-521-37944-X
External links
- A Song of Flight: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
- v
- t
- e
Edward Elgar
- Diarmuid and Grania (1901)
- The Crown of India (1911–12)
- The Starlight Express (1915–16)
- The Sanguine Fan (1917)
- Symphony No. 1 (1907–08)
- Symphony No. 2 (1909–11)
- Symphony No. 3 (1932–34; completed by Payne in 1997)
- The Wand of Youth (1869–1907)
- Powick Asylum Music (1879–1884)
- Sevillana (1884)
- Froissart (1890)
- Sursum corda (1894)
- Serenade for Strings (1894)
- Three Bavarian Dances (1898)
- Enigma Variations (1899)
- Cockaigne Overture (1900–01)
- Pomp and Circumstance Marches (1901–30)
- Dream Children (1902)
- Introduction and Allegro (1904–05)
- In the South (Alassio) (1904–05)
- Elegy (1909)
- Falstaff (1913)
- Sospiri (1914)
- Carillon (1914)
- Polonia (1915)
- Une voix dans le désert (1915)
- Le drapeau belge (1917)
- Nursery Suite (1930)
- The Severn Suite (1930)
- Violin Concerto (1901–10)
- Romance (1910)
- Cello Concerto (1918–19)
- Duett for trombone and double bass (1887)
- Idylle (1883)
- Salut d'Amour (1888)
- Chanson de Nuit (1897)
- Chanson de Matin (1899)
- Violin Sonata (1918)
- String Quartet (1918)
- Piano Quintet (1918–19)
- Organ Sonata (1898)
- Concert Allegro (1901)
- The Black Knight (1889–93)
- From the Bavarian Highlands (1895–96)
- The Dream of Gerontius (1899–1900)
- The Kingdom (1901–06)
- Coronation Ode (1902)
- The Apostles (1902–03)
- The Music Makers (1912)
- The Spirit of England (1915–17)
- "The Language of Flowers" (1872)
- "The Self Banished" (1875)
- "A War Song" (1884)
- Seven Lieder
- "Like to the Damask Rose" (1892)
- "Queen Mary's Song" (1889)
- "A Song of Autumn" (1892)
- "The Poet's Life" (1892)
- "Through the Long Days" (1885)
- "Rondel" (1894)
- "The Shepherd's Song" (1892)
- "Is she not passing fair?" (1886)
- "As I laye a-thynkynge" (1888)
- "The Wind at Dawn" (1888)
- "After" (1900)
- "A Song of Flight" (1900)
- Sea Pictures
- "Sea Slumber Song"
- "In Haven"
- "Sabbath Morning at Sea"
- "Where Corals Lie"
- "The Swimmer" (1897–99)
- "Dry those fair, those crystal eyes" (1899)
- "Always and Everywhere" (1901)
- "Come, Gentle Night!" (1901)
- "In the Dawn" (1901)
- "Speak, Music!" (1901)
- "There are seven that pull the thread" (1901)
- "In Moonlight" ((1904)
- "Follow the Colours" (1907)
- "Pleading" (1908)
- "A Child Asleep" (1909)
- "Oh, soft was the song" (1910)
- "Was it some Golden Star?" (1910)
- "Twilight" (1910)
- "The Chariots of the Lord" (1914)
- "Fight for Right" (1916)
- "Inside the Bar" (1917)
- "The Blue Mountains" (1924)
- "The Immortal Legions" (1924)
- Pageant of Empire (1924)
- "XTC" (1930)
- Category