In a book titled simply The Poems of Goethe which was translated from German in the original meter (!) you'll find this little gem which apparently has never been set to actual music. It is amazing what you can find sometimes- in English, no less- which has yet to have seen the light of day or the vocal chords of a soprano.
Somebody roll up their sleeves! ; ) The Castle
Lady
Late resounds the early strain;
Weal and woe in song remain.
Sound, sweet song…
sound, sweet song from far off lands,
Sighing softly close at hand,
Now of joy and now of woe!
Stars are wont to glimmer so.
Sooner thus will good unfold;
Children young and children old
Gladly hear thy numbers flow.
(written in 1820)
Live each day as if your life had just begun.
J.W. Goethe
J.W. Goethe
