Tears of Gold (2000)
Five movements; mezzo-soprano or countertenor, harpsichord, cello; ca. 11 min.
The composer writes: William Blake’s Songs of Innocence of 1789 have been set to music by several composers, including Ralph Vaughan Williams, Benjamin Britten and William Bolcom. Here, I have selected five of these poems for a “baroque” setting, suitable for either mezzo-soprano or counter-tenor, with cello and harpsichord.
Score and parts available from the Canadian Music Centre, J W Pepper or Sheet Music Direct.
WATCH & LISTEN ...
TEXTS
I: Introduction
Piping down the valleys wild
Piping songs of pleasant glee
On a cloud I saw a child,
And he laughing said to me,
“Pipe a song about a Lamb”;
So I piped with merry chear;
“Piper pipe that song again” –
So I piped, he wept to hear.
“Drop thy pipe thy happy pipe
Sing thy songs of happy chear”;
So I sung the same again
While he wept with joy to hear.
“Piper sit thee down and write
In a book that all may read” –
So he vanish’d from my sight.
And I pluck’d a hollow reed,
And I made a rural pen,
And I stain’d the water clear,
And I wrote my happy songs
Every child may joy to hear.
II: The Shepherd
How sweet is the Shepherd’s sweet lot!
From the morn to the evening he strays;
He shall follow his sheep all the day,
And his tongue shall be full of praise.
For he hears the lamb’s innocent call,
And he hears the ewe’s tender reply;
He is watchful while they are in peace,
For they know that their Shepherd is nigh.
III: The Ecchoing Green
The sun does arise,
And make happy the skies;
The merry bells ring
To welcome the Spring;
The skylark and the thrush,
The birds of the bush,
Sing louder around
To the bells’ chearful sound,
While our sports shall be seen
On the Ecchoing Green.
Old John with white hair,
Does laugh away care,
Sitting under the oak,
Among the old folk.
They laugh at our play,
And soon they all say:
“Such were the joys,
When we all, girls and boys,
In our youth time were seen
On the Ecchoing Green.”
Till the little ones weary,
No more can be merry;
The sun does descend,
And our sports have an end.
Round the laps of their mothers
Many sisters and brothers,
Like birds in their nest,
Are ready for rest,
And sport no more seen
On the darkening Green.
IV: The Blossom
Merry, Merry Sparrow!
Under leaves so green
A happy Blossom
Sees you swift as arrow
Seek our cradle narrow
Near my bosom.
Pretty, Pretty Robin!
Under leaves so green,
A happy Blossom
Hears you sobbing, sobbing
Pretty, Pretty Robin,
Near my bosom.
V: Night (abridged)
The sun descending in the west,
The evening star does shine;
The birds are silent in their nest,
And I must seek for mine.
The moon like a flower
In heaven’s high bower,
With silent delight
Sits and smiles on the night.
Farewell, green fields and happy groves,
Where flocks have took delight.
Where lambs have nibbled, silent moves
The feet of angels bright.
When wolves and tygers howl for prey,
They pitying stand and weep;
Seeking to drive their thirst away,
And keep them from the sheep;
But if they rush dreadful,
The angels most heedful,
Receive each mild spirit,
New worlds to inherit.
And there the lion’s ruddy eyes
Shall flow with tears of gold,
And pitying the tender cries,
And walking round the fold,
Saying “Wrath by his meekness
“And by his health, sickness
“Is driven away
“From our immortal day.
“And now beside thee, bleating lamb,
“I can lie down and sleep;
“Or think on him who bore thy name,
“Graze after thee and weep.
“For wash’d in life’s river,
“My bright mane forever
“Shall shine like the gold
“As I guard o’er the fold.”
The composer writes: William Blake’s Songs of Innocence of 1789 have been set to music by several composers, including Ralph Vaughan Williams, Benjamin Britten and William Bolcom. Here, I have selected five of these poems for a “baroque” setting, suitable for either mezzo-soprano or counter-tenor, with cello and harpsichord.
Score and parts available from the Canadian Music Centre, J W Pepper or Sheet Music Direct.
WATCH & LISTEN ...
TEXTS
I: Introduction
Piping down the valleys wild
Piping songs of pleasant glee
On a cloud I saw a child,
And he laughing said to me,
“Pipe a song about a Lamb”;
So I piped with merry chear;
“Piper pipe that song again” –
So I piped, he wept to hear.
“Drop thy pipe thy happy pipe
Sing thy songs of happy chear”;
So I sung the same again
While he wept with joy to hear.
“Piper sit thee down and write
In a book that all may read” –
So he vanish’d from my sight.
And I pluck’d a hollow reed,
And I made a rural pen,
And I stain’d the water clear,
And I wrote my happy songs
Every child may joy to hear.
II: The Shepherd
How sweet is the Shepherd’s sweet lot!
From the morn to the evening he strays;
He shall follow his sheep all the day,
And his tongue shall be full of praise.
For he hears the lamb’s innocent call,
And he hears the ewe’s tender reply;
He is watchful while they are in peace,
For they know that their Shepherd is nigh.
III: The Ecchoing Green
The sun does arise,
And make happy the skies;
The merry bells ring
To welcome the Spring;
The skylark and the thrush,
The birds of the bush,
Sing louder around
To the bells’ chearful sound,
While our sports shall be seen
On the Ecchoing Green.
Old John with white hair,
Does laugh away care,
Sitting under the oak,
Among the old folk.
They laugh at our play,
And soon they all say:
“Such were the joys,
When we all, girls and boys,
In our youth time were seen
On the Ecchoing Green.”
Till the little ones weary,
No more can be merry;
The sun does descend,
And our sports have an end.
Round the laps of their mothers
Many sisters and brothers,
Like birds in their nest,
Are ready for rest,
And sport no more seen
On the darkening Green.
IV: The Blossom
Merry, Merry Sparrow!
Under leaves so green
A happy Blossom
Sees you swift as arrow
Seek our cradle narrow
Near my bosom.
Pretty, Pretty Robin!
Under leaves so green,
A happy Blossom
Hears you sobbing, sobbing
Pretty, Pretty Robin,
Near my bosom.
V: Night (abridged)
The sun descending in the west,
The evening star does shine;
The birds are silent in their nest,
And I must seek for mine.
The moon like a flower
In heaven’s high bower,
With silent delight
Sits and smiles on the night.
Farewell, green fields and happy groves,
Where flocks have took delight.
Where lambs have nibbled, silent moves
The feet of angels bright.
When wolves and tygers howl for prey,
They pitying stand and weep;
Seeking to drive their thirst away,
And keep them from the sheep;
But if they rush dreadful,
The angels most heedful,
Receive each mild spirit,
New worlds to inherit.
And there the lion’s ruddy eyes
Shall flow with tears of gold,
And pitying the tender cries,
And walking round the fold,
Saying “Wrath by his meekness
“And by his health, sickness
“Is driven away
“From our immortal day.
“And now beside thee, bleating lamb,
“I can lie down and sleep;
“Or think on him who bore thy name,
“Graze after thee and weep.
“For wash’d in life’s river,
“My bright mane forever
“Shall shine like the gold
“As I guard o’er the fold.”
