Edward Elgar

The Torch (Elgar)

The Torch is a song written by the English composer Edward Elgar in 1909 as his Op.60, No.1. The manuscript is dated 23 December 1909. On the title-page, the song is dedicated "To YVONNE," and it is

Lyrics#

THE TORCH ::Come, O my love ! :::Come, fly to me; ::All my soul :::Cries out for thee : ::Haste to thy home,- :::I long for thee, :::Faint for thee, :::Worship thee ::Only, - but Come ! Dark is the wood,- :The track’s ever lonely and gray; But joyous the blaze :That welcomes and shows thee the way. ::Come, O my love ! :::Come, fly to me : ::All my soul :::Cries out for thee ! ::Haste to thy rest,- :::I long for thee, :::Sigh for thee, :::Faint for thee; ::Come to my breast. Cold is the stream,- :The ford is a danger to thee : My heart is aflame, :As the beacon that lights thee to me. ::Come, O my love ! :::Come, fly to me ! ::All my soul :::Cries out for thee : ::Haste to thy home,- :::I long for thee, :::Faint for thee, :::Worship thee ::Only,- but Come ! ::::::::Pietro d’Alba. ::::::From a Folk-Song (Eastern Europe)

Recordings#

*The Songs of Edward Elgar SOMM CD 220 Neil Mackie (tenor) with Malcolm Martineau (piano), at Southlands College, London, April 1999

References#

Banfield, Stephen, Sensibility and English Song: Critical studies of the early 20th century (Cambridge University Press, 1985)
Kennedy, Michael, Portrait of Elgar (Oxford University Press, 1968)

Composer: Edward Elgar