Tim Ravalde
DREAMERS
for solo voice and piano
Roberton 02581
Words by Siegfried Sassoon. This song was the winning entry in the Association of English Singers and Speakers' Song Writing Competition 2018, generously supported by the Thompson Educational Trust.
Its first performance was given on 3 November 2018 as part of the London Song Festival by Florian Panzieri, tenor, and Nicole Johnson, piano.
DREAMERS by Siegfried Sassoon
Soldiers are citizens of death's grey land,
Drawing no dividend from time's to-morrows.
In the great hour of destiny they stand,
Each with his feuds, and jealousies, and sorrows.
Soldiers are sworn to action; they must win
Some flaming, fatal climax with their lives.
Soldiers are dreamers; when the guns begin
They think of firelit homes, clean beds and wives.
I see them in foul dug-outs, gnawed by rats,
And in the ruined trenches, lashed with rain,
Dreaming of things they did with balls and bats,
And mocked by hopeless longing to regain
Bank-holidays, and picture shows, and spats,
And going to the office in the train.
© Siegfried Sassoon. Used by permission
Duration 2¾ minutes
Its first performance was given on 3 November 2018 as part of the London Song Festival by Florian Panzieri, tenor, and Nicole Johnson, piano.
DREAMERS by Siegfried Sassoon
Soldiers are citizens of death's grey land,
Drawing no dividend from time's to-morrows.
In the great hour of destiny they stand,
Each with his feuds, and jealousies, and sorrows.
Soldiers are sworn to action; they must win
Some flaming, fatal climax with their lives.
Soldiers are dreamers; when the guns begin
They think of firelit homes, clean beds and wives.
I see them in foul dug-outs, gnawed by rats,
And in the ruined trenches, lashed with rain,
Dreaming of things they did with balls and bats,
And mocked by hopeless longing to regain
Bank-holidays, and picture shows, and spats,
And going to the office in the train.
© Siegfried Sassoon. Used by permission
Duration 2¾ minutes
