When griping griefs the heart would wound, And doleful dumps the mind oppress, Then Music with her silver sound Is wont with speed to give redress: Of troubled mind for every sore Sweet Music hath a salve therefore. In joy it makes our mirth abound, In grief it cheers our heavy sprites, The careful head relief hath found By Music's pleasant sweet delights: Our senses, what should I say more, Are subject unto Music's lore. The gods by Music hath their praise, The soul therein doth joy, For as the Roman poets say, In seas whom phates would destroy, A dolphin saved from death most sharp, Arion playing on a harp. A heav'nly gift that turns the mind Like as the stern doth rule the ship, Music, whom the gods assigned To comfort men, whom cares would nip, Since thou both man and beast doth move, What wise man then will thee reprove?
Authorship:
- by Anonymous / Unidentified Author [author's text not yet checked 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 Richard Edwards (1525 - 1566), "When griping griefs" [ chorus ], madrigal; British Museum Add. Ms. 30513 [sung text checked 1 time]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by August Wilhelm Schlegel (1767 - 1845) , no title ; composed by Paul Cadow.
- Also set in Russian (Русский), a translation by Boris Leonidovich Pasternak (1890 - 1960) [an adaptation] ; composed by Dmitry Borisovich Kabalevsky.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (William Shakespeare) , appears in Romeo and Juliet, Act IV, Scene 5 [an adaptation]
- GER German (Deutsch) (Richard Flatter) , "Musik", appears in Die Fähre, Englische Lyrik aus fünf Jahrhunderten, first published 1936
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2009-12-29
Line count: 24
Word count: 153
Wenn Gram und Groll das Herz durchdrang, Die Trauer trüb die Seele zwingt, Musik mit ihrem Silberklang Mit heitrer Hilfe Lindrung bringt. Was, finstrer Sinn, was, Schmerz und Leid! Musik hat Balsam stets bereit. Im Glück erhöht sie Freud und Glück, Im Leid läßt sie die Trübnis fliehn; Verstörten Geist bringt sie zurück Durch ihre süßen Harmonien. Sogar das Wild im dunklen Wald Lauscht friedlich, wenn Musik erschallt. [... ... ... ... ... ...] Du Himmelsheil, stets unverwandt, wie jener Stern, der Schiffe lenkt; Du Trost, der Menschheit zugesandt, Die sich in Mühsal quält und kränkt: Musik, du, die nur schenkt und gibt, Der ist kein Mensch, der dich nicht liebt!
Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, 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 Die Fähre, Englische Lyrik aus fünf Jahrhunderten Übersetzt von Richard Flatter, Walter Krieg Verlag, Wien-Bad Bocklet-Zürich, 1954, 2nd edition (1st edition 1936), page 72. Only stanzas 1, 2, and 4 were translated so we have added space to make the translations line up.
Authorship:
- by Richard Flatter (1891 - 1960), "Musik", appears in Die Fähre, Englische Lyrik aus fünf Jahrhunderten, first published 1936 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Researcher for this page: Volkmar Henschel
This text was added to the website: 2021-02-24
Line count: 24
Word count: 111