31 Songs by Ethelbert Nevin (American 1862-1901)
music by Ethelbert Nevin, lyrics by various authors, MIDI sequences by John McDonnell
Good-Night, Good-Night, Beloved! (1884) engngnb.mid
Good-night, good-night, beloved! I come to watch o'er thee.
To be near thee, to be near thee, alone is peace for me.
Good-night, good-night, beloved! I come to watch o'er thee.
To be near thee, to be near thee, alone is peace for me.
Good night.
Thine eyes are stars of morning, thy lips are crimson flowers,
Good-night! Good-night, beloved, while I count the weary hours.
Thine eyes are stars of morning, thy lips are crimson flowers,
Good-night! Good-night, beloved, while I count the weary hours.
Good night.
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Deep in a Rose's Glowing Heart (1888) endiargh.mid
Margaret Deland
Margaret Deland (1857-1945) |
Deep in a rose's glowing heart,
I dropped a single kiss;
And then I bade it quick depart,
And tell my lady this:
"The love thy lover tries to send,
"O'erflows my fragrant bowl;
"But my soft leaves would break and bend,
"Should he send half the whole,
"Should he send half the whole."
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Oh Fair and Sweet and Holy (1888) enofasah.mid
Heine
Heinrich Heine (1797-1856) |
Oh fair and sweet and holy,
As bud at morning tide
I gaze on thee, and yearnings,
Sad thro' my bosom glide.
I feel that fain I'd be laying,
My hand upon thy hair,
Praying that God, aye, would keep thee,
As holy, sweet, and fair,
As holy, sweet, and fair.
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Oh! That We Two Were Maying (1888) enotwtwm.mid
1902 arrangement by Max Spicker
Kingsley
Charles Kingsley (1819-1875) |
Oh! that we two were Maying,
Down the stream of the soft spring breeze;
Like children with violets playing
In the shade of the whisp'ring trees.
Oh! that we two sat dreaming
On the sward of the sheep-trimm'd down,
Watching the white mist streaming
O'er river, and mead, and town.
Oh! that we two lay sleeping,
In our nest in the churchyard sod,
With our limbs at rest on the quiet earth's breast,
And our souls at home with God.
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Hubert Eisdell (1882-1948)
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One Spring Morning (1888) enosm.mid
Goethe
Goethe (1749-1832) |
One spring morning, bright and fair,
Tra - la - la - la - la - la - la.
Roam'd a shepherdess and sang,
Tra - la - la - la - la - la - la.
Young and beauteous, free from care,
Thro' the fields her clear notes rang:
Tra - la - la - la - la,
Tra - la - la - la - la - la,
Tra - la - la - la - la - la,
Tra - la - la - la - la - la - la - la,
Tra - la - la - la - la - la,
Tra - la - la - la - la - la,
Tra - la - la - la - la - la - la.
Of his lambs some two or three,
Tra - la - la - la - la - la - la.
Thyrsis offer'd for a kiss,
Tra - la - la - la - la - la - la.
First she eyed him roguishly,
Then for answer sang but this:
Tra - la - la - la - la - la,
Tra - la - la - la - la - la,
Tra - la - la - la - la - la,
Tra - la - la - la - la - la - la - la,
Tra - la - la - la - la - la,
Tra - la - la - la - la - la,
Tra - la - la - la - la - la - la.
Ribbons did the next one offer,
And a third his heart so true,
But, as with the lambs, the scoffer,
Laughed at hearts and ribbons too.
Still 'twas
Tra - la - la - la - la - la,
Tra - la - la - la - la - la,
Tra - la - la - la - la - la,
Tra - la - la - la - la - la - la - la,
Tra - la - la - la - la - la - la,
Tra - la - la - la - la - la,
Tra - la - la - la - la - la - la.
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La Chanson des Lavandieres (1889) enlcdl.mid
V. Hugo
Victor Hugo (1802-1885) |
What care I, unwilling,
When forest birds I hear?
'Tis the tend'rest bird thrilling
In thy voice so clear.
What though God unveils me
All stars in the skies!
'Tis the purest star hails me,
Sparkling in thine eyes.
Though April's gardenbowers
To blossom will start,
The loveliest of flowers
Springs up in thy heart.
This songbird so glowing,
This daystar above,
This soul-flower blowing,
We name it, 'tis love.
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Raft Song (1889) enrs.mid
Margaret Deland
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Margaret Deland (1857-1945) |
From up above my raft drifts down
To you! to you!
And oh! my love, your sweetheart brown
Is true! is true!
No girl's so sweet up in the pine
As you! as you!
Say, when you meet this raft of mine,
I'm true! I'm true!
From up above my raft drifts down
To you! to you!
And oh! my love, your sweetheart brown
Is true! is true!
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'Twas April (1889) enta.mid
E. Pailleron
translated from the French by James Freeman Clark
Edouard Pailleron (1834-1899) |
'Twas April; 'twas Sunday; the day was fair,
Yes, sunny and fair.
And how happy was I!
You wore the white dress you lov'd to wear,
And two little flow'rs were hid in your hair,
Yes, in your hair,
On that day, gone by.
We sat on the moss; it was shady and dry,
Yes, shady and dry;
We sat in the shadow,
We looked at the leaves, we looked at the sky,
We looked at the brook which bubbled near by,
Yes, bubbled near by,
Through the quiet meadow.
A bird sang on the swinging vine,
Yes, on the vine,
And then sang not;
I took your little white hand in mine;
'Twas April; 'twas Sunday; 'twas warm sunshine,
Yes, warm sunshine;
Have you forgot!
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Hubert Eisdell (1882-1948)
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Jesu, Jesu, Miserere (1890) enjjm.mid
"Jesu, Jesu, miserere;
"Hear my cry to Thee."
Come, thou fainting one and weary,
Come to Me.
"Sin and shame my heart benumbing,
"Shall I gain Thy feet?"
Shrinking, trembling, hardly coming,
Thee I meet.
"Jesu, Jesu, miserere;
"Save me or I die."
Hearken in the darkness dreary,
It is I.
"Jesu, Jesu, miserere;
"Hush my soul's unrest."
Lay thee, travelworn and weary,
On My breast.
"Jesus, come, come quickly to me,
"Only make me Thine."
I am here; thy anguish drew Me,
Thou art mine.
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Une Vieille Chanson (1891) enuvc.mid
Victor Hugo
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Victor Hugo (1802-1885) |
If a lovely lawn there be
Dewed with diamond showers,
Where the gen'rous year, in fee,
Scatters dainty dowers:
Lilies, jasmine, columbine,
There in rich abundance shine!
Fit for gentle feet like thine
Is that path of flowers!
If there be a loving heart
Filled with glorious powers,
Whose devotion, set apart,
Smiles though Fortune lowers;
If for this noble breast
Yearns for the highest, best,
On this heart thy brow should rest
Wreathed with loveliest flowers.
If there be Love's dearest dream
Sweet with breath of flow'rs,
Where each new day it should seem
Brighter 'neath those bowers:
A dream God himself hath blest,
Where soul to soul is confest:
Ah! there I'd build a nest
For thy heart's sweetest hours.
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At Twilight (1891) enat.mid
Peyton Van Rensselaer
The roses of yesteryear,
Were all of them white and red;
It fills my heart with silent fear,
To find all their beauty fled.
The roses of white are sere,
All faded the roses red,
And one who loves me is not here,
And one that I love is dead,
And one who loves me is not here,
And one that I love is dead.
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Beat Upon Mine Little Heart (1891) enbumlh.mid
Tennyson
Tennyson (1809-1892) |
Beat upon mine little heart, beat, beat;
Beat upon mine, you are mine, my sweet;
All mine from your pretty blue eyes to your feet, my sweet:
Sleep, little blossom, my honey, my bliss,
For I give you this, and I give you this,
And I blind your pretty blue eyes with a kiss, sleep!
Father and Mother will watch you grow,
And gather the roses where ever they blow,
And find the white heather where ever you go, my sweet, my sweet.
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Little Boy Blue (1891) enlbb.mid
Eugene Field
Eugene Field (1850-1895) |
The little toy dog is covered with dust,
But sturdy and staunch he stands;
The little toy soldier is red with rust,
And his musket moulds in his hands.
Time was when the little toy dog was new,
And the soldier was passing fair;
And that was the time when our little Boy Blue
Kiss'd them, and put them there.
"Now don't you go till I come!" he said,
"And don't you make any noise,"
So toddling off to his trundle bed,
He dreamt of the pretty toys.
And as he was dreaming, an angel song
Awakened our little Boy Blue.
Oh! the years are many, the years are long,
But our little toy friends are true.
Ay! faithful to little Boy Blue they stand,
Each in the same old place,
Awaiting the touch of the little hand,
The smile of a little face.
And they wonder as waiting these long years through,
In the dust of that little chair,
What has become of our little Boy Blue,
Since he kiss'd them, and put them there.
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Rappelle-toi (1892) enr.mid
Alfred de Musset
Alfred de Musset (1810-1857) |
Recall our love, when the shy dawn unfoldeth,
All th' enchanted palace of the morning sun;
Recall our love, when dreamy night beholdeth,
Veiled trains of stars, silv'ry stars pass one by one.
When wild your bosom thrills aroused by coming pleasure,
Or when the shades of night lull you in dreamland's measure,
Then hear among the trees
Murmurings of a breeze:
Recall our love, recall our love.
Recall our love, when we are separated
To meet again apart forevermore,
When by the grief of exile overmated
The soul is bowed that was so firm before.
Remember our sad love, remember how we parted;
Time, absence, grief are naught for him who loves full-hearted;
So long as this heart beat,
It always will repeat:
Recall our love!
Recall our love, when under earth reposes
This heart, at last to sleep in peace for aye;
Recall our love, when on my grave the roses
Send fragrance forth, their first welcome to May.
I shall not see you then, but my immortal spirit
Will hover near you, love; then may you often hear it,
Amid the night's weird cries
A voice that faintly sighs:
Recall our love!
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The Rose-Bud (1892) entrb.mid
Julius Wolff
Julius Wolff (1834-1910) |
From the branch, as farewell token,
Did I pluck this rose;
Whispered words to be unspoken,
Till the bud unclose.
Deep within its petals hidden,
Lies a secret furled,
All the tiny leaves unbidden,
Shield it from the world.
Kiss the flower with fragrance laden,
All its wealth unfold,
Till it tell the secret, maiden,
That my kisses told.
Let me part without a greeting,
Silenced by my pain,
While the roses are repeating:
May we meet again, may we meet again.
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Le Vase Brise (1892) enlvb.mid
Sully-Prudhomme
Sully Prudhomme (1839-1907) |
The vase wherein this vervain faded,
Was but lightly jarred by a fan;
The seam can scarce be traced, unaided,
We know not where it first began.
But a faint blow was barely needed,
The crystal sprang with scarce a sound;
Now the veined fissure, unheeded,
Its path, slowly, has marched around.
The plant has drooped, the leaves are dreaming,
In sapless slumber ne'er to wake;
Its life has ebbed beyond redeeming,
Touch not the vase or it will break.
Thus often can a heart be broken
By some light touch meant for caress;
Some small word better left unspoken,
The blossoms of its love grow less.
Bravely concealed before a stranger,
Endured in silence for his sake;
The rift widens, heed well the danger,
Touch not the vase or it will break!
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A Fair Good Morn (1893) enafgm.mid
A fair good morn to thee, my love,
A fair good morn to thee;
And happy be thy path, my love,
Though it end not with me, though it end not with me.
No vows were ever spoken,
We've no farewell to say:
Gay were we when we met, love,
We're parting just as gay, we're parting just as gay.
So fare thee well, awhile, my love,
So fare thee well, awhile,
We have no parting sign to give,
So part we with a smile, so part we with a smile.
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Airly Beacon (1893) enab.mid
Rev. Chas. Kingsley
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Charles Kingsley (1819-1875) |
Airly Beacon, Airly Beacon;
Oh, the pleasant sight to see
Shires and towns from Airly Beacon,
While my love climbed up to me!
Airly Beacon, Airly Beacon;
Oh, the happy hours we lay
Deep in fern on Airly Beacon,
Courting through the summer's day!
Airly Beacon, Airly Beacon;
Oh, the weary haunt for me,
All alone on Airly Beacon,
With his baby on my knee.
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Nocturne (1893) enn.mid
T. B. Aldrich
Thomas Bailey Aldrich (1836-1907) |
Up to her chamber window
A slight wire-trellis goes:
And up this Romeo's ladder
Clambers a bold white rose.
I lounge in the ilex shadows,
I see my lady lean
Unclasping her silken girdle,
The curtain folds between.
She smiles at her white rose lover,
She reaches out her hand
And helps him in at the window;
I see it where I stand.
To her red, red lip she holds him,
And kisses him many a time:
Ah! me! 'twas he that won her,
Because he dared to climb!
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When the Land Was White With Moonlight (1893) enwtlwwwm.mid
Anna Reeve Aldrich
When the land was white with moonlight,
And the air was sweet with May,
I was so glad that Love would last
Forever and a day,
When the land was white with moonlight,
And the air was sweet with May.
Now the land is white with winter
And the dead Love laid away,
I am so glad Life cannot last
Forever and a day.
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English version by Dr. Th. Baker
Our life is vain:
An hour of joy,
An hour of pain,
And then, goodbye!
Our life is vain:
An hour of joy,
An hour of pain,
And then, goodbye, goodbye!
Our life's a dream:
A ray of light,
Of hope a gleam,
And then goodnight!
Our life's a dream:
A ray of light,
Of hope a gleam,
And then goodnight!
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The Merry, Merry Lark (1894) entmml.mid
Rev. Chas. Kingsley
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Charles Kingsley (1819-1875) |
The merry, merry lark was up and singing,
The hare was out and feeding on the lea;
The merry, merry bells below were ringing,
As my child's laugh rang through me.
Now the hare is snared and dead beside the snowyard,
And the lark beside the dreary winter sea,
And my baby in his cradle in the churchyard,
Waiteth there until the bells bring me.
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The Wedding Morn (1894, 1909) entwm.mid
Robert Browning
Robert Browning (1812-1889) |
The year's at the Spring,
The day's at the morn,
Morning's at sev'n,
The hillside's dew-pearled;
The lark's on the wing,
The snail's on the thorn:
God's in His heav'n,
God's in His heav'n:
The year's at the Spring,
The day's at the morn,
Morning's at sev'n,
The hillside's dew-pearled;
The lark's on the wing,
The snail's on the thorn:
God's in His heav'n,
God's in His heav'n,
God's in His heav'n,
All's right with the world!
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A Life Lesson (1898) enall.mid
James Whitcomb Riley
James Whitcomb Riley (1849-1916) |
There, little girl, don't cry!
They have broken your doll, I know,
And your teaset blue,
And your playhouse too,
Are things of the long ago.
But childish troubles will soon pass by,
There, little one, don't cry, don't cry, don't cry!
There, little girl, don't cry!
They have broken your slate, I know,
And the glad wild ways
Of your schoolgirl days,
Are things of the long ago.
But life and love will soon come by,
There, little girl, don't cry, don't cry, don't cry!
There, little girl, don't cry!
They have broken your heart, I know,
And the rainbow gleams
Of your youthful dreams,
Are things of the long ago.
But Heav'n holds all for which you sigh,
There, little girl, don't cry, don't cry, don't cry!
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My Love's Waitin'! (1898) enmlw.mid
Richard Hovey
Richard Hovey (1864-1900) |
My love's waitin',
Waitin' by the river,
Waitin' till I come along!
Wait there, child; I'm comin', comin',
Wait there, child; I'm comin'.
Jaybird tol' me,
Tol' me in the mornin',
Tol' me she'd be there tonight.
Wait there child; I'm comin', comin',
Wait there, child; I'm comin'.
Whippowill tol' me,
Tol' me in the evenin',
"Down, where the cattails grow,"
Wait there, child; I'm comin', comin',
Wait there, child; I'm comin'.
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The Rosary (1898) entr.mid
Robert Cameron Rogers
The hours I spent with thee, dear heart,
Are as a string of pearls to me;
I count them over ev'ry one apart,
My rosary, my rosary!
Each hour a pearl, each pearl a pray'r
To still a heart in absence wrung:
I tell each bead unto the end,
And there a cross is hung!
O memories that bless and burn!
O barren gain and bitter loss!
I kiss each bead, and strive at last to learn
To kiss the cross, sweetheart!
To kiss the cross. |
Henry Burr (1885-1941)
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A Necklace of Love (1899) enanol.mid
Frank L. Stanton
Frank Lebby Stanton (1857-1927) |
No rubies of red for my lady,
No jewel that glitters and charms,
But the light of the skies, in a little one's eyes,
And a necklace of two little arms.
Of two little arms that are clinging
(Oh ne'er was a necklace like this!),
And the wealth o' the world, and love's sweetness impearled,
In the joy of a little one's kiss.
A necklace of love for my lady,
That was linked by the angels above.
No other but this and a tender, sweet kiss
That sealeth a little one's love.
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The Nightingale's Song (1899) entns.mid
Alvin Hovey King
I sing to my love, the rose,
With all my soul and heart,
For there's naught so sweet in all the world,
As to love, to love, to love.
I sing to my love, the rose,
And the rose sings back to me,
The sweetest song that e'er will be:
"For I love, I love, I love."
I sing to my love, the rose,
As I gaze in her deep red heart,
For her heart is free for all to see,
With its love, its love, its love.
I sing to my love, the rose,
With love for the theme of my song,
For I love the rose and the rose loves me,
So we love, we love, we love.
I sing to my love, the rose,
With all my soul and heart,
For there's naught so sweet in all the world,
As to love, to love, to love.
I sing to my love, the rose,
And the rose sings back to me,
The sweetest song that e'er will be:
"For I love, I love, I love."
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Christine Miller (1885-19??)
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Mighty Lak' a Rose (1901) enmlar.mid
Frank L. Stanton
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Frank Lebby Stanton (1857-1927) |
Sweetest li'l' feller,
Ev'rybody knows;
Dunno what to call him,
But he mighty lak' a rose!
Lookin' at his Mammy
Wid eyes so shiny blue,
Mek' you think that heav'n
Is comin' clost ter you!
W'en he's dar a sleepin',
In his li'l' place,
Think I see de angels
Lookin' thro' de lace,
W'en de dark is fallin',
W'en de shadders creep,
Den dey comes on tiptoe
Ter kiss 'im in his sleep.
Sweetest li'l' feller,
Ev'rybody knows;
Dunno what to call him,
But he mighty lak' a rose!
Lookin' at his Mammy
Wid eyes so shiny blue,
Mek' you think that heav'n
Is comin' clost ter you!
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Henry Burr (1885-1941)
Florence Easton (1882-1955)
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The song "Slumber Song" is based on the music of Ethelbert Nevin's 1890 piano piece "Slumber Song".
Slumber Song (1909) enss.mid
Edward Teschemacher
Little stars in heav'n so bright,
Peeping through the clouds of white,
Angels fair in heav'n above, look down, look down,
Look down tenderly with your love,
And hush to sleep this tired child tonight.
Angels, who keep watch on high,
Guard my child while dark hours fly,
Lead him into dreamland!
There what lovely toys they bring him,
There what wondrous songs they sing him,
Ev'ry joy his heart would know,
Angels with their love bestow.
Hark! I can hear the sound of beautiful chariots going,
Of golden chariots far away,
Oh, haste to their silverhorns blowing,
Oh! haste to their silverhorns glowing.
See, how those fairy elves their pretty rose cups are quaffing!
Oh, drink my child that nectar sweet,
And join in their singing, and laughing,
And join in their singing and laughing!
Rest, my child, the morn looks down,
Now through thy window, over the town,
Close thy weary eyes in sleep, sweet sleep, sweet sleep,
I shall be near thee till morning glows,
So sleep and dream in blest repose.
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The song "Narcissus", arranged by John Martel, is based on the music of Ethelbert Nevin's 1891 piano
piece "Narcissus". However, in using the flower Narcissus as its inspiration, the song departs from the
inspiration of the piano piece. "I remembered vaguely that there was once a Grecian lad who had
something to do with water and who was called 'Narcissus.' I rummaged about my old mythology and
read the story over again. The theme, or rather both themes, came as I read. I went directly to my desk
and wrote out the whole composition. Afterward I rewrote it and revised it a little. The next morning I
sent it to my publisher." [Ethelbert Nevin (1935) by John Tasker Howard, page 156]
Narcissus (1891, 1899, 1919) ennjm.mid
arranged by John Martel
P. C. Warren
My garden lies slumb'ring in sunny calm of noon,
The fountains sing faintly their cool and soothing croon.
Soft breezes are kissing each flower's perfum'd lips,
While from a lily's chalice a butterfly drowsily sips.
A flood of fragrance rises around me,
And drowns my senses, lost in dream.
Breath of the rose, breath of the lilac
Mingle, and mount on the vibrant air;
Yet in the balmy current,
Born on the wings of Zephyr,
A scent, more witching than all the rest,
Wakes tender memories in my breast:
'Tis Narcissus!
Dear, snow-petal'd blossom, with heart of blood and gold,
Your perfume calls up visions of raptures untold.
I seem to dream of melodies wafting by,
That sob and throb, resembling a trembling sigh,
I hear a clear, sweet note afloat,
Reechoing love songs of old!
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