To date, December, 2009, what is the longest period of time that has elapsed between an author writing words and a composer setting them to music? Keep in mind, I don't include translations.

McGruff

I don't know that this question can be answered. I know a lot of folk songs that contain similar lyrics, same story, names, events, what have you, that have been put to completely different music. That's basically how they kept stories, legends, and history from being forgotten before anyone actually wrote things down. Knowing you from the kinds of questions you ask, you probably have a good contender already in mind. The best thing I can come up with would be "Turn, Turn, Turn", lyrics from the Book of Ecclesiastes and put to music by Pete Seeger in 1959. But that would probably fall into a "translation" and not qualify. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turn!_Turn!_Turn!_(song) Dec 24 09, 11:59 PM

serpa

Similar to the above answer Psalm 22:13-15 is at the tail end of "Hang on to Your Life" by The Guess Who. Dec 25 09, 12:38 AM

Datsmeharse

I'd imagine there's some Chinese text/poem somewhere that has been set to music recently. There's several examples of the Hebrew Tehilim (Book of Psalms) being set to modern music, and sung in the original language. Bernstein's Chichester Psalms for example. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chichester_Psalms The Tehilim, which are sung (unlike their translated metrical psalters) were probably "set to music" from their origin though. I'm sure there's other prayers or texts that weren't: http://www.servantsnews.com/sn0305/singing.htm Dec 26 09, 12:06 PM