Sidney Homer's song "Dearest" (op. 24) was published in 1910. Homer's music was immensely popular during his lifetime, and much of it was sung by and dedicated to his wife, contralto Louise Homer. The song is currently out of print.
The text of this song is by English writer William Ernest Henley.
Sidney's and Louise's nephew was Samuel Barber, who became an even more prominent song composer than Sidney himself.
Dearest
by William Ernest Henley
“Dearest, when I am dead,
tMake one last song for me:
Sing what I would have said –
tRighting life’s wrong for me.
“Tell them how, early and late,
tGlad ran the days with me,
Seeing how goodly and great,
tLove, were your ways with me.”
