Title: Anacreon’s Defeat (This poet sings the Trojan wars)
Composer: Henry Purcell (1659-1695)
Author: Unknown
Free at Art Song Central (PDF files):
- PDF: Anacreon’s Defeat
- Key: Starts in C Major (Ends in C Minor)
- Range: F2 – E4 (Bass clef)
- Source: Six Songs by Henry Purcell
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Mp3:
MIDI:
This poet sings the Trojan wars,
Another of the Theban jars,
In rattling numbers, verse that dares.Whilst I, in soft and humble verse,
My own captivities rehearse;
I sing my own defeats, which are
Not the events of common war.Not fleets at sea have vanquish’d me,
Nor brigadiers, nor cavalry,
Nor ranks and files of infantry.No, Anacreon still defies
All your artillery companies
Save those encamp’d in killing eyes;
Each dart his mistress shoots, he dies.
- Recmusic.org has the text.