La Belle Dame Sans Merci (Jon Corelis): Difference between revisions

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'''Published:''' 2011
'''Published:''' 2011


'''Description:''' My musical setting for Keats's ''La Belle Dame Sans Merci.'' This version has a harp accompaniment, though the first few stanzas are a cappella. The accompaniment is by way of example; other instruments could be used, or the song could be sung a cappella. There is an a cappella version, with some slight differences in the melody, available (see External Web Links below.) Flute used in this sound file to simulate voice; written for female voice, though I suppose it could also be sung by male tenor. I may have a slightly revised version of the accompanied version soon. Lyrics below.
'''Description:''' My musical setting for Keats's ''La Belle Dame Sans Merci.'' This version has a harp accompaniment, though the first few stanzas are a cappella. The accompaniment is by way of example; other instruments could be used, or the song could be sung a cappella. There is an a cappella version, with some slight differences in the melody, available (see External Web Links below.) Flute used in this sound file to simulate voice; written for female voice, though I suppose it could also be sung by male tenor. I may have a slightly revised version of the accompanied version soon. Lyrics below.


'''External websites:'''
'''External websites:'''
Line 30: Line 30:


O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms,
O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms,
Alone and palely loitering?
      Alone and palely loitering?
The sedge has withered from the lake,
The sedge has withered from the lake,
And no birds sing.
      And no birds sing.


O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms,
O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms,
So haggard and so woe-begone?
      So haggard and so woe-begone?
The squirrel’s granary is full,
The squirrel’s granary is full,
And the harvest’s done.
      And the harvest’s done.


I see a lily on thy brow,
I see a lily on thy brow,
With anguish moist and fever-dew,
      With anguish moist and fever-dew,
And on thy cheeks a fading rose
And on thy cheeks a fading rose
Fast withereth too.
      Fast withereth too.


I met a lady in the meads,
I met a lady in the meads,
Full beautiful—a faery’s child,
      Full beautiful—a faery’s child,
Her hair was long, her foot was light,
Her hair was long, her foot was light,
And her eyes were wild.
      And her eyes were wild.


I made a garland for her head,
I made a garland for her head,
And bracelets too, and fragrant zone;
      And bracelets too, and fragrant zone;
She looked at me as she did love,
She looked at me as she did love,
And made sweet moan.
      And made sweet moan.


I set her on my pacing steed,
I set her on my pacing steed,
And nothing else saw all day long,
      And nothing else saw all day long,
For sidelong would she bend, and sing
For sidelong would she bend, and sing
A faery’s song.
      A faery’s song.


She found me roots of relish sweet,
She found me roots of relish sweet,
And honey wild, and manna-dew,
      And honey wild, and manna-dew,
And sure in language strange she said—
And sure in language strange she said—
‘I love thee true’.
      ‘I love thee true’.


She took me to her elfin grot,
She took me to her elfin grot,
And there she wept and sighed full sore,
      And there she wept and sighed full sore,
And there I shut her wild wild eyes
And there I shut her wild wild eyes
With kisses four.
      With kisses four.


And there she lullèd me asleep,
And there she lullèd me asleep,
And there I dreamed—Ah! woe betide!—
      And there I dreamed—Ah! woe betide!—
The latest dream I ever dreamt
The latest dream I ever dreamt
On the cold hill side.
      On the cold hill side.


I saw pale kings and princes too,
I saw pale kings and princes too,
Pale warriors, death-pale were they all;
      Pale warriors, death-pale were they all;
They cried—‘La Belle Dame sans Merci
They cried—‘La Belle Dame sans Merci
Thee hath in thrall!’
      Thee hath in thrall!’


I saw their starved lips in the gloam,
I saw their starved lips in the gloam,
With horrid warning gapèd wide,
      With horrid warning gapèd wide,
And I awoke and found me here,
And I awoke and found me here,
On the cold hill’s side.
      On the cold hill’s side.


And this is why I sojourn here,
And this is why I sojourn here,
Alone and palely loitering,
      Alone and palely loitering,
Though the sedge is withered from the lake,
Though the sedge is withered from the lake,
And no birds sing.
      And no birds sing.




Revision as of 00:41, 8 February 2012

Music files

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Editor: Jon Corelis (submitted 2011-09-07).   Score information: Letter, 9 pages, 110 kB   Copyright: Personal
Edition notes:

General Information

Title: La Belle Dame Sans Merci
Composer: Jon Corelis
Lyricist: John Keats

Number of voices: 2vv   Voicing: SA

Genre: Secular, Partsong

Language: English
Instruments: Harp
Published: 2011

Description: My musical setting for Keats's La Belle Dame Sans Merci. This version has a harp accompaniment, though the first few stanzas are a cappella. The accompaniment is by way of example; other instruments could be used, or the song could be sung a cappella. There is an a cappella version, with some slight differences in the melody, available (see External Web Links below.) Flute used in this sound file to simulate voice; written for female voice, though I suppose it could also be sung by male tenor. I may have a slightly revised version of the accompanied version soon. Lyrics below.

External websites:

Original text and translations

English.png English text

La Belle Dame Sans Merci

O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms,
       Alone and palely loitering?
The sedge has withered from the lake,
       And no birds sing.

O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms,
       So haggard and so woe-begone?
The squirrel’s granary is full,
       And the harvest’s done.

I see a lily on thy brow,
       With anguish moist and fever-dew,
And on thy cheeks a fading rose
       Fast withereth too.

I met a lady in the meads,
       Full beautiful—a faery’s child,
Her hair was long, her foot was light,
       And her eyes were wild.

I made a garland for her head,
       And bracelets too, and fragrant zone;
She looked at me as she did love,
       And made sweet moan.

I set her on my pacing steed,
       And nothing else saw all day long,
For sidelong would she bend, and sing
       A faery’s song.

She found me roots of relish sweet,
       And honey wild, and manna-dew,
And sure in language strange she said—
       ‘I love thee true’.

She took me to her elfin grot,
       And there she wept and sighed full sore,
And there I shut her wild wild eyes
       With kisses four.

And there she lullèd me asleep,
       And there I dreamed—Ah! woe betide!—
The latest dream I ever dreamt
       On the cold hill side.

I saw pale kings and princes too,
       Pale warriors, death-pale were they all;
They cried—‘La Belle Dame sans Merci
       Thee hath in thrall!’

I saw their starved lips in the gloam,
       With horrid warning gapèd wide,
And I awoke and found me here,
       On the cold hill’s side.

And this is why I sojourn here,
       Alone and palely loitering,
Though the sedge is withered from the lake,
       And no birds sing.

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