Invitation to Love

A setting for unaccompanied Mixed Choir (SATB)
or Unison Chorus with Piano Accompaniment
of the poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar

Duration: 3'15"

Unison Demo Recording: Invitation to Love Invitation to Love - Unison & piano

SATB Demo Recording: Invitation to Love Invitation to Love - Unaccompanied Mixed Choir

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Text · Performance History · Purchase Sheet Music

Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872 - 1906) was born in Dayton, Ohio, and published his first poems at age 16. He gained fame as a a poet, novelist and playwright, and wrote the lyrics for the musical comedy In Dahomey (1903), the first all-African-American musical produced on Broadway.

Invitation to Love

by Paul Laurence Dunbar

Come when the nights are bright with stars
Or come when the moon is mellow;
Come when the sun his golden bars
Drops on the hay-field yellow.
Come in the twilight soft and gray,
Come in the night or come in the day,
Come, O love, whene'er you may,
And you are welcome, welcome.

You are sweet, O Love, dear Love,
You are soft as the nesting dove.
Come to my heart and bring it to rest
As the bird flies home to its welcome nest.

Come when my heart is full of grief
Or when my heart is merry;
Come with the falling of the leaf
Or with the redd'ning cherry.
Come when the year's first blossom blows,
Come when the summer gleams and glows,
Come with the winter's drifting snows,
And you are welcome, welcome.





Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906)

Purchase Sheet Music

Sheet music for Invitation to Love is available from: J.W. Pepper

Performance History

World premiere not yet scheduled.