Like to the Damask Rose

”Like to the Damask Rose” is a poem either by Francis Quarles called "Hos ego versiculos", or by Simon Wastell called “The flesh profiteth nothing”. It was set to music by the English composer Edward Elgar in 1892.
The song, together with Through the Long Days, was first performed by Charles Phillips in St. James's Hall on 25 February 1897.
It was first published in 1893, and re-published by Boosey in 1907 as one of the Seven Lieder of Edward Elgar, with English and German words.
The 'damask rose' of the title is the common name of Rosa × damascena.

Lyrics

Elgar made a few changes to the original words.

English - Elgar's lyrics
LIKE TO THE DAMASK ROSE
German words by Ed. Sachs
GLEICH WIE DER ROTEN ROSE PRACHT

Recordings

has "Like to the Damask Rose" performed by Amanda Pitt, with David Owen Norris.
Konrad Jarnot, Reinild Mees
Neil Mackie with Malcolm Martineau, at Southlands College, London, April 1999