Bright is the ring of words (Ralph Vaughan Williams)

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Music files

• CPDL #17126:

Contributor: David Newman (Added 2008-6-08)    Score information: A4, 5 pages, 164 kbytes   Copyright: Public Domain

Edition notes: Cross posting by Art Song Central.

General Information

Title: Bright is the Ring of Words
Composer: Ralph Vaughan Williams
Lyricist: Robert Louis Stevenson

Number of voices: 1v   Voicing: Baritone Solo
Genre: Secular, Art song

Language: English
Instruments: Piano
Published: 1905

Description: "Bright is the Ring of Words" is Number 8 in the set of nine songs called "Songs of Travel".

External websites:

• Art Song Central resources for this work

Original text and translations

English text

Bright is the ring of words

When the right man rings them,

Fair the fall of songs

When the singer sings them,

Still they are carolled and said–

On wings they are carried–

After the singer is dead

And the maker buried.

Low as the singer lies

In the field of heather,

Songs of his fashion bring

The swains together.

And when the west is red

With the sunset embers,

The lover lingers and sings

And the maid remembers.