Art Songs of Harry T. Burleigh

Harry T. Burleigh (1866–1949) was born in Erie, Pennsylvania, and sang in a number of churches and synagogues throughout his formative years. In 1894, he won a position to sing at St. George's Episcopal Church in New York as a baritone soloist. This solidified his professional solo career where he sang there for over 50 years. He also was the first black soloist at Temple Emanu-El in New York City singing there for 25 years. In 1904 and 1906, he was the baritone soloist for American performances of Hiawatha's Wedding Feast by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor conducted by the composer.

Burleigh's legacy usually rests with the fact that he sang Negro spirituals to Antonín Dvořák then, later, was among the first composers to set the spiritual as an art song. His non-idiomatic art songs, however, are still undiscovered by many solo performers. For this purpose, his spirituals set as art songs are not included.

The author/poet is listed below each song. Click each link to download whatever song you want. Sing, record, post, and encourage others to sing more of Burleigh’s beautiful songs.

2 Poems
High – Low
- W.E. Henley
1. Bring Her Again to Me
2. The Spring My Dear Is No Longer Spring

3 Songs
1. If You But Knew
- from The Martian
2. A Birthday Song
- Christina Rossetti
3. Life
- John Boyle O’Reilly

5 Songs of Laurence Hope
High
- Adela Florence Nicolson (psued. Laurence Hope)
1. Worth While
2. The Jungle Flower
3. Kashmiri Song
4. Among the Fuchsias
5. Till I Wake

Achievement
- Frances Bacon Paine

Adoration
High
- Dora Lawrence Houston

And as the Gulls Soar High
High – Low
- Frances Bacon Paine

Apart
High – Low
- Frances Bacon Paine

Before Meeting
High – Low
- Arthur Symons

By the Pool at the Third Rosses
High
- Arthur Symons

Carry Me Back to the Pine Wood
High – Low
- (Harry T. Burleigh)

Come with Me
High
- Lura Kelsey Clendening

A Corn Song
High – Low
- Paul Laurence Dunbar

Down by the Sea
High – Low
- George O’Connell

Dream Land (A Cradle Song)
- Louise Alston Burleigh

Dreams Tell Me Truly
High
- Fred G. Bowles

Elysium
High – Low
- James Weldon Johnson

Ethiopia Saluting the Colors
Low
- Walt Whitman

Exile
Low
- Inez Marie Richardson

Folk Song
High – Low
- Robert Burns

Fragments
High – Low
- Jessie Fauset

The Grey Wolf
Medium – Low
- Arthur Symons

Have You Been to the Lons
High – Low
- Gordon Johnstone

He Met Her in the Meadow
Low
- (Harry T. Burleigh)

He Sent Me You!
High – Low
- Frederick H. Martens

Hearts
High – Low
- C.M. Wilmerding

Heigh-Ho!
High – Low
- James E. Campbell

The Hour Glass
High – Low
- Alexander Groves

I Remember All
Low
- Arthur Symons

I Want to Die While You Love Me
High – Low
- Georgia Douglas Johnson

If Life Be a Dream
High – Low
- Frank L. Stanton

In Summer
Low
- Josephine Nichols

In the Great Somewhere
High – Medium – Low
- Harold Robè

In the Wood of Finvara
High – Low
- Arthur Symons

It Was Nothing but a Rose
High
- anonymous

Jean
Low
- Frank L. Stanton

Just a Wearin’ for You
High
- Frank L. Stanton

Just Because
High – Low
- (Harry T. Burleigh)

Just My Love and I
High – Low
- Louise Alston Burleigh

Just You
High – Low
- Madge Marie Miller

Listen to Yo’ Gyarden Angel
- Robert Underwood Johnson

The Little House of Dreams
High
- Arthur Wallace Peach

Little Mother of Mine
High – Medium-Low – Low
- Walter H. Brown

Love’s Dawning
High – Low
- Louise Alston Burleigh

Love’s Garden
- M. Heuchling

Love’s Pleading
- Leontine Stanfield

Malay Boat Song
High – Low
- Adela Florence Nicolson (psued. Laurence Hope)

Mammy’s Little Baby (Cradle Song)
High – Low
- Louise Alston Burleigh

The Man in White
- (Harry T. Burleigh)

Memory
High – Medium
- Arthur Symons

Myrra
High – Low
- (Harry T. Burleigh)

Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal
High – Low
- Alfred, Lord Tennyson

O Love of a Day
High – Low
- Randolph Hartley

O Why Art Thou Not Near Me! (Serenade)
High – Low
- anonymous

Oh, My Love
High
- Harriet Gaylord

On Inishmaan: Isles of Aran
High – Low
- Arthur Symons

One Day
Medium
- Mary Blackwell sterling

One Year
High
- Margaret M. Harlan

Passionale
- James Weldon Johnson
1. Her Eyes Twin Pools
High – Low
2. Your Lips Are Wine
3. Your Eyes So Deep
4. The Glory of the Day Was in Her Face
High – Low

Perhaps
Low
- Louise Alston Burleigh

The Prayer
High – Medium – Low
- Arthur Symons

The Prayer I Make for You
High
- Harold Robè

Promis’ Lan’ (A Hallelujah Song)
High – Medium – Low
- Mrs. N.J. Corey

Request
High – Low
- Adela Florence Nicolson (psued. Laurence Hope)

The Sailor’s Wife
High – Low
- Mary Stewart Cutting

Saracen Songs
High
- Fred G. Bowles
1. Almona (Song of Hassan)
2. O, Night of Dream and Wonder (Almona’s Song)
3. His Helmet’s Blaze (Almona’s Song of Yussouf to Hassan)
4. I Hear His Footsteps, Music Sweet (Almona’s Song of Delight)
5. Thou Art Weary (Almona’s Song to Yussouf)
6. This Is Nirvana (Yussouf’s Song to Almona)
7. Ahmed’s Song of Farewell

Since Molly Went Away
High – Low
- Frank L. Stanton

The Soldier
High
- Rupert Brooke

Somewhere
High
- James Whedon

Tell Me Once More
High – Low
- Fred G. Bowles

Three Shadows
High – Medium – Low
- Dante Gabriel Rossetti

Through Love’s Eternity
High – Low
- C.C. Stoddard

Through Peace to Light
Low
- Adelaide Prctor

Thy Heart
- A.V. Williams Jackson

Tide
High – Low
- Frances Bacon Paine

The Trees Have Grown So
- John Hanlon

Two Words
Low
- Edward Oxenford

Under a Blazing Star
High – Low
- Milder Seitz

The Victor
High – Medium – Low
- George O’Connell

The Young Warrior (Il Giovane Guerriero)
High
- James Weldon Johnson (Italian text by Edoardo Petri)