Art Song Central

Title: O deare, that I with thee might live

Music: Thomas Campion (1567-1620)

Text: Thomas Campion (1567-1620)

Free at Art Song Central (PDF files):

• Campion – O deare, that I with thee might live
• Key: B Dorian
• Range: F♯4 – F♯5
• Source: Elizabethan Love Songs

• Campion – O deare, that I with thee might live
• Key: G Dorian
• Range: D4 – D5
• Source: Elizabethan Love Songs

O deare that I with thee might live,
From human trace removed!
Where jealous care might neither grieve,
Yet each dote on their loved.
While fond fear may colour finde, Love’s seldom pleased;
But much like a sick man’s rest, it’s soon diseased.

Why should our mindes not mingle so,
When love and faith is plighted,
That either might the other know,
Alike in all delighted?
Why should frailty breed suspect, when hearts are fixed?
Must all human joys of force with griefe be mixed?

How oft have we ev’n smiled in teares,
Our fond mistrust repenting?
As snow when heav’nly fire appeares,
So melts love’s hate relenting.
Vexed kindnesse soon falls off, and soon returneth:
Such a flame the more you quench, the more it burneth.

Title: The Death of Nelson

Music: John Braham (1774-1856)

Arranger: Granville Bantock (1868-1946)

Text: Samuel James Arnold (1774-1852)

Free at Art Song Central (PDF files):

• Braham – The Death of Nelson (Low)
• Key: Starts in A Minor, ends in A Major
• Arranged for voice and piano by Granville Bantock
• Range: C♯4 – F5
• Source: One Hundred Songs of England

• Braham – The Death of Nelson (High)
• Key: Starts in A Minor, ends in A Major
• Arranged for voice and piano by Granville Bantock
• Yes, this is the same key and range as the “low” edition.
• Range: C♯4 – F5
• Source: One Hundred Songs of England

Recitative:
O’er Nelson’s Tomb,
With silent grief oppress’d,
Britannia mourns her Hero,
Now at rest:
But those bright laurels
Ne’er shall fade with years,
Whose leaves are water’d
By a Nation’s tears.

Aria:
‘Twas in Trafalgar’s bay
We saw the Frenchman lay,
Each heart was bounding then.
We scorned the foreign yoke,
For our Ships were British Oak,
And hearts of oak our men!
Our Nelson mark’d them on the wave,
Three cheers our gallant Seamen gave,
Nor thought of home or beauty.
Along the line this signal ran,
England expects that ev’ry man
This day will do his duty!

And now the cannons roar
Along th’affrighted shore,
Our Nelson led the way,
His Ship the Vict’ry nam’d!
Long be that Vict’ry famed,
For Vict’ry crowned the day!
But dearly was that conquest bought,
Too well the gallant Hero fought,
For England, home and beauty.
He cried as ‘midst the fire he ran,
“England shall find that ev’ry man
This day will do his duty!”

At last the fatal wound,
Which spread dismay around,
The Hero’s breast received;
“Heav’n fights on our side,
The day’s our own,” he cried!
“Now long enough I’ve lived!
In honour’s cause my life was past,
In honour’s cause I fell at last,
For England, home and beauty.”
Thus ending life as he began,
England confessed that ev’ry man,
That day had done his duty!

Title: Never Weather-Beaten Sail

Music: Thomas Campion (1567-1620)

Text: Thomas Campion (1567-1620)

Free at Art Song Central (PDF files):

• Campion – Never Weather-Beaten Sail (Low)
• Key: Really E♭ Major, though the key signature is four flats
• Arranged for voice and piano by Granville Bantock
• Range: B♭3 – C5
• Source: One Hundred Songs of England

• Campion – Never Weather-Beaten Sail (High)
• Key: Really G Major
• Arranged for voice and piano by Granville Bantock
• Range: D4 – E5
• Source: One Hundred Songs of England

Elsewhere on the Internet:

• Choral Version with Lute Tabulature
• Key: G Major
• Range: D4 – E5 (melody)
• Source: Choral Public Domain Library

Never weather-beaten sail more willing bent to shore,
Never tired pilgrim’s limbs affected slumber more,
Than my wearied sprite now longs to fly out of my troubled breast.
O come quickly, sweetest Lord, and take my soul to rest!

Ever blooming are the joys of heaven’s high Paradise, 5
Cold age deafs not there our ears nor vapour dims our eyes:
Glory there the sun outshines; whose beams the blessed only see.
O come quickly, glorious Lord, and raise my sprite to Thee!

Title: What if I seek for love

Composer: Robert Jones (c. 1577-1617)

Author: Unknown

Free at Art Song Central (PDF files):

• Jones – What if I seek for love
• Key: A minor
• Range: E4 – G5
• Source: Elizabethan Love Songs

• Jones – What if I seek for love
• Key: F♯ minor
• Range: C♯4 – E5
• Source: Elizabethan Love Songs

What if I seek for love of thee?
Shall I find,
Beauty kind,
to desert that still shall dwell in me?
But if I sue and live forlorn,
then alas never was any wretch
to more misfortune borne.
Though thy looks have charmed mine eyes,
I can forbeare to love,
but if ever sweet desire
set my woeful hart on fire
then can I never remove.

Frowne not on me unless thou hate,
For thy frowne cast me down
To despaire of my most haplesse state:
Smile not on me unless thou love,
For thy smile,
will beguile
my desires if thou unsteadfast prove:
If thou needs wilt bend thy brow,
A while refraine my deare;
But if thou wilt smile on me,
Let it not delayed be;
Comfort is never too near.

Title: I know the stars

Music: Michael Ching (b.1958) blog / store

Text: Sarah Teasdale (1884-1933)

Free at Art Song Central:

• PDF: I know the stars (high key)
• Key: A Major
• Range: B3 – G5
• Note: This is a copyrighted work, released under a creative commons license.

• I know the stars (medium key)
• Key: F♯ Major
• Range: G♯3 – E5
• Note: This is a copyrighted work, released under a creative commons license.

I know the stars by their names,
Aldebaran, Altair,
And I know the path they take
Up heaven’s broad blue stair.

I know the secrets of men
By the look of their eyes,
Their gray thoughts, their strange thoughts
Have made me sad and wise.

But your eyes are dark to me
Though they seem to call and call —
I cannot tell if you love me
Or do not love me at all.

I know many things,
But the years come and go,
I shall die not knowing
The thing I long to know.

Title: Sorrow, Stay

Music: John Dowland (1563-1626)

Text: possibly John Dowland (1563-1626)

Free at Art Song Central:

• PDF file: Sorrow, Stay
• Key: G Minor
• Range: D4 – D5
• From: The Second Book of Ayres
• Source: Stainer & Bell edition, ed. Fellowes ©1922
• Note: This edition includes lute tabulature as well as a piano transcription.

Elsewhere on the Internet:

• Not yet.

Mp3:

• Not yet.

MIDI:

• Not yet.

Sorrow, stay! lend true repentant tears
To a woeful wretched wight.
Hence, Despair! with thy tormenting fears
O do not my poor heart affright.
Pity, help! now or never;
Mark me not to endless pain.
Alas, I am condemned ever,
No hope, no help there doth remain.

But down, down, down, down I fall,
And arise I never shall.

• Recmusic.org has the text.

Title: Take, o take those lips away

Music: Roger Quilter (1877-1953)

Text: William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

Free at Art Song Central (PDF files):

• PDF: Take, o take those lips away
• Key: E Major (high)
• Range: F♯4 – E5
• Source: Five Shakespeare Songs

• PDF: Take, o take those lips away
• Key: D♭ Major (low)
• Range: E♭4 – D♭5
• Source: Five Shakespeare Songs

Elsewhere on the Internet:

• Not yet.

Mp3:

• Not yet.

MIDI:

• Not yet.

Take, O take those lips away,
That so sweetly were forsworn;
And those eyes, the break of day,
Lights that do mislead the morn:
But my kisses bring again,
Seals of love, but sealed,
But sealed in vain!

• Recmusic.org has the text.

Title: It was a lover and his lass

Music: Roger Quilter (1877-1953)

Text: William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

Free at Art Song Central (PDF files):

• PDF: It was a lover and his lass
• Key: A♭ Major (high)
• Range: F4 – A♭5
• Source: Five Shakespeare Songs

• PDF: It was a lover and his lass
• Key: E Major (low)
• Range: C♯4 – E5
• Source: Five Shakespeare Songs

Elsewhere on the Internet:

• Not yet.

Mp3:

• Not yet.

MIDI:

• Not yet.

IT was a lover and his lass,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
That o’er the green corn-field did pass,
In the spring time, the only pretty ring time,
When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding;
Sweet lovers love the spring.

Between the acres of the rye,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
These pretty country folks would lie,
In the spring time, the only pretty ring time,
When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding;
Sweet lovers love the spring.

This carol they began that hour,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
How that life was but a flower
In the spring time, the only pretty ring time,
When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding;
Sweet lovers love the spring.

And, therefore, take the present time
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
For love is crown`d with the prime
In the spring time, the only pretty ring time,
When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding;
Sweet lovers love the spring.

• Recmusic.org has the text.

Title: Fear no more the heat o’ the sun

Music: Roger Quilter (1877-1953)

Text: William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

Free at Art Song Central (PDF files):

• PDF: Fear no more the heat o’ the sun
• Key: G♯ Minor (high)
• Range: E4 – F♯5
• Source: Five Shakespeare Songs

• PDF: Fear no more the heat o’ the sun
• Key: F Minor (low)
• Range: D♭4 – E♭5
• Source: Five Shakespeare Songs

Elsewhere on the Internet:

• Not yet.

Mp3:

• Not yet.

MIDI:

• Not yet.

Fear no more the heat o’ the sun,
Nor the furious winter’s rages;
Thou thy worldly task hast done,
Home art gone, and ta’en thy wages;
Golden lads and girls all must,
As chimney-sweepers, come to dust.

Fear no more the frown o’ the great;
Thou art past the tyrant’s stroke:
Care no more to clothe and eat;
To thee the reed is as the oak:
The sceptre, learning, physic, must
All follow this, and come to dust.

Fear no more the lightning-flash,
Nor the all-dreaded thunder-stone;
Fear not slander, censure rash;
Thou hast finished joy and moan;
All lovers young, all lovers must
Consign to thee, and come to dust.

No exorciser harm thee!
Nor no witchcraft charm thee!
Ghost unlaid forbear thee!
Nothing ill come near thee!
Quiet consummation have;
And renownéd be thy grave!

• Recmusic.org has the text.