Who knows what the bells say? (Henry Parker)

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• (Posted 2023-11-27)  CPDL #77593:     

Editor: David Anderson (submitted 2023-11-27).   Score information: Letter, 12 pages, 716 kB   Copyright: Personal

Edition notes:

General Information

Title: Who knows what the bells say?
Composer: Henry Parker
Lyricist:
Number of voices: 4vv   Voicing: SATB
Genre: Secular, Partsong

Language: English
Instruments: Piano

First published: ca. 1880 Cramer & Co.
    2nd published: 1923 Theodore Presser Co.
Description: 

Original text and translations

English text

Who knows what the bells say?
Ding, dong, ding, dong,
Sometimes sad and sometimes gay,
Ding, dong, ding, dong,
Day by day in merry riot,
Breaking in upon the quiet,
Glad with more than human gladness,
Sad with more than mortal sadness;
Ding, dong, ding, ding, dong.

Swinging to and fro,
Music soft and low;
What the bells confess,
How can mortals guess?
Language all their own,
But to spirits known,
Mortals never reach
Truths the bells would teach;
Ding, ding, dong.

Who knows what the bells say?
Ding, dong, ding, dong,
Are they airy sprites unseen?
Ding, dong, ding, dong;
Who can tell the tale they’re telling,
With their solemn measured knelling?
Who can guess the message stealing
With the bells’ unwearied pealing?
Ding, dong, ding, ding, dong.

Nella