”Queen Mary's Song” is a song written by the English composer Edward Elgar

Edward Elgar

Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet OM, GCVO was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestral works including the Enigma Variations, the Pomp and Circumstance Marches, concertos...

 in 1889. The words are from Lute Song

Lute song

The lute song was a generic form of music in the late Renaissance and very early Baroque eras, generally consisting of a singer accompanying himself on a lute, though lute songs may often have been performed by a singer and a separate lutenist...

by Tennyson

Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson

Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson, FRS was Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom during much of Queen Victoria's reign and remains one of the most popular poets in the English language....

.

It was composed between 14 June and 1 July 1889, and dedicated to 'J. H. Meredith'.

The song was first published by Orsborn & Tuckwood in 1889, then by Ascherberg in 1892. It was re-published in 1907 as one of the Seven Lieder of Edward Elgar

Seven Lieder of Edward Elgar

The Seven Lieder of Edward Elgar is a set of songs by the English composer Edward Elgar published together in 1907, by Ascherberg, Hopwood & Crew Ltd.The set was published with German words 'by Ed...

, with English and German words.

Lyrics

German words by Ed. Sachs

English Queen Mary's Song Hapless doom of woman happy in betrothing, Beauty passes like a breath and love is lost in loathing: Low! my lute: Speak low, speak low, my lute, but say the world is nothing. Low! lute, low ! Love will hover round the flowers when they first awaken; Love will fly the fallen leaf, and not be overtaken; Low, my lute ! O low, O low, my lute! we fade and are forsaken. Low, dear lute, low !

German Maria Stuart's Lied zur Laute Glücklos Schicksal des Weibes, Glücklich nur im Wähnen, Schönheit schwindet wie ein Hauch, Und Lieb' vergeht in Tränen: Leis', mein Spiel ! Tön' leis, o leis, mein Spiel, doch sag der Welt mein Sehnen. Sanft! Laute, sanft ! Liebe schützt die zarten Keime, Wenn sie Wurzel fassen; Liebe flieht die welken Blüten, Wenn Farb' und Leben blassen; Leis', mein Spiel ! Tön' leis, o leis, mein Spiel! Verwelkt sind wir verlassen. Sanft, o Laute, sanft !

Recordings

• Songs and Piano Music by Edward Elgar has "Queen Mary's Song" performed by Amanda Pitt (soprano), with David Owen Norris (piano).

• Elgar: Complete Songs for Voice & Piano Konrad Jarnot
  Konrad Jarnot
  Konrad Jarnot is an English baritone who works in opera and oratorio and is a notable performer of Lieder. He is a teacher at the Robert Schumann Hochschule.-Early life:...
  
  (baritone), Reinild Mees (piano)

• The Songs of Edward Elgar SOMM CD 220 Catherine Wyn-Rogers (soprano) with Malcolm Martineau (piano), at Southlands College, London, April 1999