for Jodi

She Walks in Beauty

For TBB Voices with Piano Accompaniment
Picture
click image for sample pages
mp3 - Florida State University Men's Glee Club, Tallahassee, FL
Larry Gerber, conductor

My wife Jodi gave me a book of Lord Byron's "Love Poems" for Christmas in 2003. I then set this, his most famous poem, for Jodi's birthday in 2004.

Poem by Lord Byron (1788-1824)

She walks in beauty, like the night  
  Of cloudless climes and starry skies;  
And all that's best of dark and bright  
  Meet in her aspect and her eyes:  
Thus mellow'd to that tender light          
  Which heaven to gaudy day denies. 

One shade the more, one ray the less,  
  Had half impair'd the nameless grace  
Which waves in every raven tress,  
  Or softly lightens o'er her face;   
Where thoughts serenely sweet express  
  How pure, how dear their dwelling-place. 

And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,  
  So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,  
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,   
  But tell of days in goodness spent, 
A mind at peace with all below,  
  A heart whose love is innocent!