Easter (Ralph Vaughan Williams)
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- Contributor: David Newman (submitted 2008-06-07). Score information: A4, 9 pages, 538 kB Copyright: Public Domain
- Edition notes: Cross posting by Art Song Central.
General Information
Title: Easter
Composer: Ralph Vaughan Williams
Lyricist: George Herbert
Number of voices: 1v Voicing: Baritone solo
, with SATB
Genre: Sacred, Sacred song
Language: English
Instruments: Piano
First published: 1911
Description: "Easter" is Number 1 in Ralph Vaughan Williams Song Collection entitled "5 Mystical Songs". The work sets four poems by George Herbert, from his 1633 collection "The Temple: Sacred Poems and Private Ejaculations".
External websites:
- Free choir training aids for this work are available at Choralia.
Original text and translations
English text
"Easter", from "The Temple: Sacred Poems and Private Ejaculations", published 1633
Rise heart; thy Lord is risen. Sing his praise
Without delays,
Who takes thee by the hand, that thou likewise
With him may'st rise;
That, as his death calcined thee to dust,
His life may make thee gold, and much more, Just.
Awake, my lute, and struggle for thy part
With all thy art.
The cross taught all wood to resound his name
Who bore the same.
His stretched sinews taught all strings, what key
Is best to celebrate this most high day.
Consort both heart and lute, and twist a song
Pleasant and long:
Or since all music is but three parts vied,
And multiplied;
O let thy blessed Spirit bear a part,
And make up our defects with his sweet art.