A Song of Flight

"A Song of Flight" is a song written by the English composer Edward Elgar in 1895, as his Op. 31, No. 2, with the words from a poem by Christina Rossetti.[1]

The song was first performed by the Irish baritone Harry Plunket Greene in St. James's Hall on 2 March 1900, together with After, Op. 31, No. 1.[1]

## Lyrics

[edit]

A SONG OF FLIGHT

While we slumber and sleep
The sun leaps up from the deep.
Daylight born at the leap!

Rapid, dominant, free,
Athirst to bathe in the uttermost sea.

While we linger at play,
If the year would stand at May!
Winds are up and away

Over land, over sea,
To their goal wherever their goal may be.

It is time to arise
To race for the promised prize,
The Sun flies, the Wind flies.

We are strong, we are free,
And home lies beyond the stars and the sea.

## References

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1. ^ a b Kennedy, Michael (1987). Portrait of Elgar (Third ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 342\. ISBN 0-19-284017-7.

* Banfield, Stephen, Sensibility and English Song: Critical studies of the early 20th century (Cambridge University Press, 1985) ISBN 0-521-37944-X

## External links

[edit]

* A Song of Flight: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project

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Edward Elgar

List of compositions

Incidental|

* Diarmuid and Grania (1901)
* The Crown of India (1911–12)
* The Starlight Express (1915–16)
* The Sanguine Fan (1917)

Symphonies|

* Symphony No. 1 (1907–08)
* Symphony No. 2 (1909–11)
* Symphony No. 3 (1932–34; completed by Payne in 1997)

Orchestral|

* The Wand of Youth (1869–1907)
* Powick Asylum Music (1879–1884)
* Sevillana (1884)
* Froissart (1890)
* Sursum corda (1894)
* Serenade for Strings (1894)
* Three Bavarian Dances (1898)
* Enigma Variations (1899)
* Cockaigne Overture (1900–01)
* Pomp and Circumstance Marches (1901–30)
* Dream Children (1902)
* Introduction and Allegro (1904–05)
* In the South (Alassio) (1904–05)
* Elegy (1909)
* Falstaff (1913)
* Sospiri (1914)
* Carillon (1914)
* Polonia (1915)
* Une voix dans le désert (1915)
* Le drapeau belge (1917)
* Nursery Suite (1930)
* The Severn Suite (1930)

Concertante|

* Violin Concerto (1901–10)
* Romance (1910)
* Cello Concerto (1918–19)

Chamber|

* Duett for trombone and double bass (1887)
* Idylle (1883)
* Salut d'Amour (1888)
* Chanson de Nuit (1897)
* Chanson de Matin (1899)
* Violin Sonata (1918)
* String Quartet (1918)
* Piano Quintet (1918–19)

Keyboard|

* Organ Sonata (1898)
* Concert Allegro (1901)

Choral|

* The Black Knight (1889–93)
* From the Bavarian Highlands (1895–96)
* The Dream of Gerontius (1899–1900)
* The Kingdom (1901–06)
* Coronation Ode (1902)
* The Apostles (1902–03)
* The Music Makers (1912)
* The Spirit of England (1915–17)

Vocal|

* "The Language of Flowers" (1872)
* "The Self Banished" (1875)
* "A War Song" (1884)
* Seven Lieder
* "Like to the Damask Rose" (1892)
* "Queen Mary's Song" (1889)
* "A Song of Autumn" (1892)
* "The Poet's Life" (1892)
* "Through the Long Days" (1885)
* "Rondel" (1894)
* "The Shepherd's Song" (1892)
* "Is she not passing fair?" (1886)
* "As I laye a-thynkynge" (1888)
* "The Wind at Dawn" (1888)
* "After" (1900)
* "A Song of Flight" (1900)
* Sea Pictures
* "Sea Slumber Song"
* "In Haven"
* "Sabbath Morning at Sea"
* "Where Corals Lie"
* "The Swimmer" (1897–99)
* "Dry those fair, those crystal eyes" (1899)
* "Always and Everywhere" (1901)
* "Come, Gentle Night!" (1901)
* "In the Dawn" (1901)
* "Speak, Music!" (1901)
* "There are seven that pull the thread" (1901)
* "In Moonlight" ((1904)
* "Follow the Colours" (1907)
* "Pleading" (1908)
* "A Child Asleep" (1909)
* "Oh, soft was the song" (1910)
* "Was it some Golden Star?" (1910)
* "Twilight" (1910)
* "The Chariots of the Lord" (1914)
* "Fight for Right" (1916)
* "Inside the Bar" (1917)
* "The Blue Mountains" (1924)
* "The Immortal Legions" (1924)
* Pageant of Empire (1924)
* "XTC" (1930)

Other topics|

* Dorabella Cipher
* Elgar Birthplace Museum
* The Elgar Sisters
* Elgar Society
* Elgar Uplands
* Elgar (film)

Family|

* August Jaeger
* Alice Elgar

* Category

Authority control databases |

* VIAF

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