De Koven – Oh Promise Me

Song Information

Title: Oh Promise Me (from “Robin Hood”)

Music: Reginald de Koven (1859-1920)

Text: Clement Scott (1841-1904)

Sheet Music

Note: Much has been made of the similarity between this song and Gastaldon’s Musica Proibita. However, beyond the opening melodic notes and sentimental spirit, the two songs share little in common.
Free at Art Song Central (PDF files):

Elsewhere on the Internet:

  • PDF available at the Internet Archive: Oh Promise Me
    • Key: A♭ Major
    • Range: E♭4 – F5 (optional A♭5)
    • Also available in djvu format, and as images via FTP.
  • PDF available at USOpera.com: Oh Promise Me
    • Key: G Major
    • Range: D4 – E5 (optional G5)
    • Transcribed with Finale.

Audio Files

Mp3:

MIDI:

Song Text

Oh promise me that some day you and I
will take our love together to some sky,
Where we can be alone and faith renew,
and find the hollows where the flowers grew,
those first sweet violets of early spring
Which come in whispers, thrill us both, and sing
of love unspeakable that is to be;
Oh promise me, Oh promise me!

Oh promise me that you will take my hand,
the most unworthy in this lonely land,
and let me sit beside you, in your eyes
Seeing the vision of our paradise,
Hearing God’s message while the organ rolls,
its mighty music to our very souls,
no love less perfect than a life with thee;
Oh promise me, oh promise me!

Resources

  • Parlorsongs.com has more information about Oh Promise Me and other “enduring” hit songs from the turn of the century. Click on the sheet music for a link to a scorch version (unprintable) of this song.