by Robert Browning (1812 - 1889)
Oh, to be in England
Language: English
Oh, to be in England Now that April's there, And whoever wakes in England Sees, some morning, unaware, That the lowest boughs and the brushwood sheaf Round the elm-tree bole are in tiny leaf, While the chaffinch sings on the orchard bough In England - now!! And after April, when May follows, And the whitethroat builds, and all the swallows! Hark, where my blossomed pear-tree in the hedge Leans to the field and scatters on the clover Blossoms and dewdrops - at the bent spray's edge - That's the wise thrush; he sings each song twice over, Lest you should think he never could recapture The first fine careless rapture! And though the fields look rough with hoary dew, All will be gay when noontide wakes anew The buttercups, the little children's dower - Far brighter than this gaudy melon-flower!
M. Brahe sets stanza 1
R. Clarke sets lines 1-16
D. Hinkle sets stanza 1
A. Rowley sets stanza 1
B. Shapleigh sets lines 1-16
A. Wilson sets lines 1-16
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Robert Browning (1812 - 1889), "Home-thoughts, from abroad", appears in Bells and Pomegranates, No. VII, first published 1845 [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 Geoffrey Allen (b. 1927), "Home‑thoughts, from abroad", op. 2 no. 2, published 1993 [ soprano and piano ], from Two Browning songs, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Frederic Austin (1872 - 1952), "Home-thoughts, from abroad", published 1909 [ high voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Granville Ransome Bantock, Sir (1868 - 1946), "Home-thoughts", 1920, published 1920 [ voice and piano ], from Dramatic Lyrics Set I, no. 5 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Mary Hannah (May) Brahe (1884 - 1956), "Oh, to be in England", published 1915, stanza 1 [ medium voice and piano ], from Two songs [sung text not yet checked]
- by Reginald B. Clarke , "Home-thoughts, from abroad", published 1903, lines 1-16 [ high voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Greville Cooke , "Oh, to be in England", published 1928 [ SSAATTBB chorus a cappella ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by J. Crawford , "Home-thoughts, from abroad", published 1871 [ four-part chorus ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Alma Goatley , "Now that April's there", published 1917 [ soprano or tenor and piano ], from Two songs [sung text not yet checked]
- by Michael (Dewar) Head (1900 - 1976), "Oh to be in England", published 1960 [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Daisy Hinkle , "Home-thoughts, from abroad", 1928, stanza 1 [ mezzo-soprano and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Paul Kerby (1903 - 1971), "Oh, to be in England", published <<1940 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Alec Rowley (1892 - 1958), "Oh, to be in England", stanza 1 [ vocal duet with piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Bertram Shapleigh (1871 - 1940), "Oh, to be in England", published 1906, lines 1-16 [ alto and piano ], from Three English Songs [sung text not yet checked]
- by Grace White , "Home-thoughts, from abroad", published 1917 [ violin and piano ], from Three Descriptions from Browning [sung text not yet checked]
- by Maude Valérie White (1855 - 1937), "Home-thoughts, from abroad", published 1885 [ medium-high voice and piano ], London: Stanley Lucas, Weber & Co. [sung text not yet checked]
- by Florence Wickins , "Oh, to be in England", published 1903 [ duet for mezzo-soprano and baritone with piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Alec Wilson , "Oh, to be in England", published 1908, lines 1-16 [ high voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 136