1952


To Musique, To Becalme His Fever

Composed by Ernst Bacon

Quiet Airs Song Collection


"To Musique, To Becalme His Fever" is the twelfth and final song of Ernst Bacon's song cycle Quiet Airs. The song sets the poetry of Robert Herrick.

Text

To Musique, To Becalme His Fever
by Robert Herrick

Charm me asleep, and melt me so
With thy delicious numbers,
That, being ravish’d, hence I go
Away in easy slumbers.
Ease my sick head,
And make my bed,
Thou power that canst sever
From me this ill,
And quickly still,
Though thou not kill
My fever.

Thou sweetly canst convert the same
From a consuming fire
Into a gentle licking flame,
And make it thus expire.
Then make me weep
My pains asleep;
And give me such reposes
That I, poor I,
May think thereby
I live and die
‘Mongst roses.

Fall on me like a silent dew,
Or like those maiden showers
Which, by the peep of day, do strew
A baptism o’er the flowers
Melt, melt my pains
With thy soft strains;
That, having ease me given,
With full delight
I leave this light,
And take my flight
For Heaven.

Sheet Music