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:
Mp3:
MIDI:
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.