by Sir Alexander Boswell (1775 - 1822)
Norah of Balamagairy: Farewell mirth and hilarity
Language: English
Farewell mirth and hilarity, Love has my heart in cruel subjection; Ah me! Norah in charity Spare a fond soul one throb of affection. Why, as I pass'd, did I gaze on her casement, Alas! With one look all my courage she shook! But while I linger'd in moonstruck amazement, Not a smile all the while cheers recollection. Refrain: Love, love, wins us by treachery, Yet leaves no choice but humble submission; What spell can conquer this witchery, Woman our bane's the only physician. Far, far hence tho' I fly from her, Where other shores are kiss'd by the ocean, Blest powers! Draw but one sigh from her, Let her not live thus dead to emotion. Yet I must steal one last glance ere I leave her, Perhaps in her heart she may grieve when we part; Hope, ah I dread thee, deluding deceiver, Fair thy cup turn'd up, bitter the potion. (Refrain) Ah me! Had we the agency Of a kindhearted feat little fairy, Good bye then to the regency, Norah, the witch of Balamagairy! Looks she, or speaks she, the lads are all sighing, She scatters her spells, and then ev'ry heart swells; Not a young clown but is pining and dying, Ah! The fools, thus she rules Balamagairy. (Refrain)
Authorship:
- by Sir Alexander Boswell (1775 - 1822) [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 Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827), "Norah of Balamagairy: Farewell mirth and hilarity", WoO. 153 (20 Irische Lieder mit Begleitung von Pianoforte, Violine und Violoncello) no. 8, G. 224 no. 8, published 1814/6 [ voice, piano, violin, violoncello ] [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- GER German (Deutsch) [singable] (Georg Pertz) , "Hin fahrt Frohsinn und Freuden!"
Researcher for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani
This text was added to the website: 2005-01-12
Line count: 31
Word count: 213