# In the Dawn

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/In_the_Dawn
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/In_the_Dawn.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_the_Dawn
> Source revision: 1198829486
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

***In the Dawn*** is a song written by the English composer [Edward Elgar](/source/Edward_Elgar) in 1901 as his Op.41, No.1.

The words are from a poem in the book of verse *The Professor and other poems* by [Arthur Christopher Benson](/source/Arthur_Christopher_Benson).[1]

At about the same time Elgar wrote a song *[Speak, Music!](/source/Speak,_Music!)*, as his Op.41, No.2, with words from the same poem.

The two songs were first performed in the [Queen's Hall](/source/Queen's_Hall) on 26 October 1901. The cover of the song, published by Boosey & Co, indicates that it was sung by [John Coates (tenor)](/source/John_Coates_(tenor)), who recorded the song in 1915.

## Lyrics

- Some souls have quickened, eye to eye, - And heart to heart, and hand in hand;
- The swift fire leaps, and instantly - They understand.

- Henceforth they can be cold no more; - Woes there may be, ay, tears and blood,
- But not the numbness, as before - They understood.

- Henceforth, though ages roll - Across wild wastes of sand and brine,
- Whate’er betide, one human soul - Is knit with mine.

- Whatever joy be dearly bought, - Whatever hope my bosom stirs,
- The straitest cell of secret thought - Is wholly hers.

- Ay, were I parted, life would be - A helpless, heartless flight along
- Blind tracks in vales of misery - And sloughs of wrong.

- Nay, God forgive me! - Life would roll like some dim moon thro’ cloudy bars;
- But to have loved her sets my soul - Among the stars.

## Recordings

- An early recording, probably the first, was made on 14 April 1915 by [John Coates](/source/John_Coates_(tenor)) for the Gramophone Company 02583 (matrix HO 751ac).
- [Songs and Piano Music by Edward Elgar](http://www.emusic.com/album/The-Works-Songs-Piano-Music-By-Edward-Elgar-MP3-Download/11044195.html) has "In the Dawn" performed by Mark Wilde (tenor), with David Owen Norris (piano).
- [Elgar: Complete Songs for Voice & Piano](https://web.archive.org/web/20081121200306/http://www.elgarfoundation.org/trolleyed/2/12/40/index.htm) [Amanda Roocroft](/source/Amanda_Roocroft) (soprano), Reinild Mees (piano)
- [The Songs of Edward Elgar SOMM CD 220](http://www.mvdaily.com/articles/2000/02/somm220.htm) Neil Mackie (tenor) with Malcolm Martineau (piano), at Southlands College, London, April 1999

## References

1. A. C. Benson, "The Professor and other poems", London and New York, John Lane, 1900

- Banfield, Stephen, *Sensibility and English Song: Critical studies of the early 20th century* (Cambridge University Press, 1985) ISBN 0-521-37944-X
- [Michael Kennedy](/source/Michael_Kennedy_(music_critic)), *Portrait of Elgar* (Oxford University Press, 1968) ISBN 0-19-315414-5

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [In the Dawn](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_the_Dawn) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_the_Dawn?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.