Michael William Balfe

Life

Born: 1808

Died: 1870

Biography

Michael William Balfe was born in Dublin, Ireland, and studied music in Ireland and London. At age 16, he became violinist in the Drury Lane orchestra and was celebrated as a singer throughout the region. His patron, Count Mazzara, took him to Italy, where he studied composition in Rome and Milan. His first dramatic piece was produced in Milan in 1826. He sang at the Paris Italian Opera and in Italian theaters until 1835, also producing several Italian operas, and sang in New York City in 1834. He returned to England and was a successful composer of English operas, at times residing in Paris and Vienna. He retired in 1864 and died in Rowney Abbey, Hertfordshire. His compositions include a number of operas, cantatas, glees, and part-songs.

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List of choral works

Partsongs for Mixed Voices

• Killarney (William Rhys-Herbert)

Irish Airs for Mixed Voices

Harmonizations of Moore’s Irish Melodies.

As a beam o’er the face of the waters Avenging and bright Believe me, if all those endearing young charms By that lake, whose gloomy shore Come o’er the sea Come, rest on this bosom Dear harp of my country Erin! the tear and the smile Eveleen’s bower Farewell, but, whenever you welcome the hour Go where glory waits thee The harp that once thro’ Tara’s halls Has sorrow thy young days shaded?

How dear to me the hour How oft has the Benshee cried! I saw thy form in youthful prime It is not the tear I’d mourn the hopes that leave me The last rose of summer Lesbia hath a beaming eye Let Erin remember the days of old The meeting of the waters The minstrel boy Nay, tell me not, dear Night clos’d around the conqu’ror’s way No, not more welcome

O think not my spirits O! breathe not his name Oh, had we some bright little isle of our own Oh, the days are gone Oh, the shamrock Oh, where’s the slave On, haste and leave this sacred isle One bumper at parting Remember the glories Rich and rare were the gems she wore She is far from the land Silent, O Moyle Sublime was the warning

Though the last glimpse of Erin Thro’ grief and thro’ danger The time I’ve lost in wooing ’Tis believ’d that this harp We may roam thro’ this world Weep on, weep on When daylight was yet sleeping When he, who adores thee When in death I shall calm recline When thro’ life unblest we rove The young May moon

IRISH AIR INDEX

AILEEN AROON ALLEY CROKER ARRAH, MY DEAR EVELEEN BANKS OF BANNA THE BLACK JOKE THE BROWN IRISH GIRL THE BROWN MAID THE BROWN THORN COULIN CROOGHAN A VENEE CUISHLIH MA CHREE THE DANDY O THE DEAR BLACK MAID

DENNIS, DON’T BE THREATENING DOMHNALL THE FOX’S SLEEP GAGE FANE GARYONE GRAMACHREE GROVES OF BLARNEY I ONCE HAD A TRUE-LOVE JOHN O’REILLY THE ACTIVE KITTY OF COLERAINE; OR, PADDY’S RESOURCE THE LEGACY LOUGH SHEELING LUGGELAW

MAID OF THE VALLEY MOLL ROE IN THE MORNING MOLL ROONE MOLLY MACALPIN THE MOREEN MY LODGING ON THE COLD GROUND NEW LANGOLEE NORA CREINA THE OLD HEAD OF DENNIS THE OLD WOMAN OPEN THE DOOR PEASE UPON A TRENCHER THE PRETTY GIRL OF DERBY, O!

THE RED FOX THE ROSE TREE SHEELAH NA GUIRA SIOS AGUS SIOS LIOM THE SIXPENCE SLY PATRICK THE SONG OF SORROW THE SUMMER IS COMING THE TWISTING OF THE ROPE THE YOUNG MAN’S DREAM THY FAIR BOSOM

 
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Publications

External websites:

• Works by Michael William Balfe in the Petrucci Music Library (IMSLP)