by Anne Hunter (1742 - 1821)
The willow hymn (Yr helyg gân)
Language: English
As I slept on the bank of a murmuring stream, The moss-cover'd turf for my pillow, A soft soothing melody rose in my dream, And chaunted the praise of the willow. "Oh willow! sweet willow! so lovely and green, Let all sing the praise of the willow!" I woke, but no mortal was nigh to be seen, That chaunted the praise of the willow. The nymph of the fountain, as gliding along She led her smooth stream to the billow, Or zephyr perhaps the wild branches among, Might murmur the praise of the willow. "Oh willow! sweet willow! so lovely and green, "Let all sing the praise of the willow!" And echo might join where she slumbers unseen On banks that are border'd with willow!
Authorship:
- by Anne Hunter (1742 - 1821) [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 (Franz) Joseph Haydn (1732 - 1809), "The willow hymn (Yr helyg gân)", JHW. XXXII/4 no. 318, Hob. XXXIb no. 47 [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani
This text was added to the website: 2011-09-19
Line count: 16
Word count: 125