April 21, 2021
Today’s selection is the touching “Sad and luckless was the season” , WoO 153 number 6, text by William Smyth, a professor of history from Cambridge.
Sad and luckless was the season,
When to court fair Ellen flew,
Flew from Love, and Peace, and Reason, Worlds to see of promise new.
Back she comes - each grace is finer,
Ev'ry charm that crowds adore,
All the form divine, diviner -
But the heart is there no more.
Oh! 'tis gone, the temper even,
Careless nature, artless ease!
All that makes retirement heaven -
Pleasing, without toil to please,
Hope no more, sweet lark, to cheer her,
Vain to her these echoing skies -
Bloom no more, ye violets, near her,
Yours are charms she would not prize.
Ellen! Go where crowds admire thee, Chariots rattle, torches blaze;
Here our dull content would tire thee, Worthless be our village praise.
Go! Yet oh, that Thought's soft season Ellen's heart might but restore!
Hard the task - whate'er the reason -
Hard the task to love no more.
This Sunday's concert by the Schiller Institute NYC Chorus will include live performances of two Spirituals - "Give me Jesus" and "Run, li'l chillun". https://www.musae.me/sinycchorus/experiences/970/believe-in
Beethoven: 20 Irish Songs, WoO 153 - 6. Sad and Luckless Was the Season
Beethoven: 20 Irish Songs, WoO 153 - 6. Sad and Luckless Was the Season
Do you like this post?
-
John Scialdone published this page in Daily Beethoven 2021-04-21 20:32:20 -0400