That Music Always Round Me
by Walt Whitman
THAT music always round me, unceasing, unbeginning,
yet long untaught I did not hear;
But now the chorus I hear, and am elated;
A tenor, strong, ascending, with power and health, with glad notes of day-break I hear,
A soprano, at intervals, sailing buoyantly over the tops of immense waves,
A transparent bass, shuddering lusciously under and through the universe,
The triumphant tutti the funeral wailings, with sweet flutes and violins all
these I fill myself with;
I hear not the volumes of sound, merely I am moved by the exquisite meanings,
I listen to the different voices winding in and out,
But now the chorus I hear, and am elated;
A tenor, strong, ascending, with power and health, with glad notes of day-break I hear,
A soprano, at intervals, sailing buoyantly over the tops of immense waves,
A transparent bass, shuddering lusciously under and through the universe,
The triumphant tutti the funeral wailings, with sweet flutes and violins all
these I fill myself with;
I hear not the volumes of sound, merely I am moved by the exquisite meanings,
I listen to the different voices winding in and out,
striving, contending with fiery vehemence to excel each other in emotion;
I do not think the performers know themselves,
I do not think the performers know themselves,
but now I think I begin to know them.
Thank you for posting this. I went to see Carmen the other day at Palau de la musica in Barcelona and it expresses how I feel about opera exquisitely.
Thank you for your comment. To hear more than sounds is a gift. Make it a great day. Ray