A Child Asleep

"A Child Asleep" is a song with words from a poem written by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. It was set to music by the English composer Edward Elgar in December 1909 and published in 1910 by Novello.

It bears the dedication: This simple song "(for his mother’s singing)" is made to ANTHONY GOETZ (Æ. I)."As an Aungel hevenlyche sche song." – Chaucer.

Anthony Goetz was the son of Muriel Foster, a favourite singer and personal friend of Elgar’s, about whom Charles Villiers Stanford wrote “She has not got the whopping voice of Clara Butt, but she has more poetry and is musical to her fingertips” [Percy Young: ‘’Elgar O.M.’’ ]

Lyrics

A CHILD ASLEEP

:::How he sleepeth!

::Vision unto vision calleth,:::While the young child dreameth on.::Fair, O dreamer, thee befalleth:::With the glory thou hast won!:Darker wert thou in the garden, yestermorn, by summer sun.

::We should see the spirits ringing:::Round thee, - were the clouds away.::'Tis the child-heart draws them, singing :::In the silent-seeming clay -:Singing! - Stars that seem the mutest, go in music, music all the day.

::Softly! softly, make no noises!:::Now he lieth still and dumb -::Now he hears the angels' voices:::Folding silence in the room -:Now he muses deep the meaning of the Heaven-words as they come.

::He is harmless - we are sinful,-:::We are troubled - he, at ease: ::From his slumber, virtue winful:::Floweth outward with increase -:Dare not bless him! but be blessèd by his peace - and go in peace.

Recordings

* [http://www.amazon.com/Elgar-Edward/dp/B00002610Y "The Unknown Elgar"] includes "A Child Asleep" performed by Teresa Cahill (soprano), with Barry Collett (piano).
* [http://www.mvdaily.com/articles/2000/02/somm220.htm The Songs of Edward Elgar SOMM CD 220] Catherine Wyn-Rogers (soprano) with Malcolm Martineau (piano), at Southlands College, London, April 1999

References

*Percy Young, "Elgar O.M."
*Michael Kennedy, "Portrait of Elgar" (Oxford University Press, 1968) ISBN 0193154145

Notes

External links