Four Thomas Moore Songs
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I. Our first young love
II. Ask not if I still love III. No, leave my heart to rest IV. Then, fare thee well |
Four Thomas Moore Songs |
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The first song written in this set was actually the last. At the time I had no intention of creating a cycle but after hearing it sung by friend Megan Crowder and accompanied by Krisztina Kover, I was inspired to compose the first three. A double arch form was used in which one and three have related material as well as two and four. Textually, this set shows the all to familiar (and at times heartbreaking) cycle of love from the beginning to end. You can view the score by clicking the button below
(requires Scorch plugin). |
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I.Our first young love resembles
That short but brilliant ray, Which smiles and weeps and trembles Thro' April's earliest day. And not all life before us, Howe'er its lights may play, Can shed a lustre o'er us Like that first April ray. Our summer sun may squander A blaze serener, grander; Our autumn beam May, like a dream Of heaven, die calm away; But no--let life before us Bring all the light it may, 'Twill ne'er shed lustre o'er us Like that first youthful ray. II.Ask not if still I love,
Too plain these eyes have told thee; Too well their tears must prove How near and dear I hold thee. If, where the brightest shine, To see no form but thine, To feel that earth can show No bliss above thee,-- If this be love, then know That thus, that thus, I love thee. 'Tis not in pleasure's idle hour That thou canst know affection's power. No, try its strength in grief or pain; Attempt as now its bonds to sever, Thou'lt find true love's a chain That binds forever! |
III.No--leave my heart to rest, if rest it may,
When youth, and love, and hope, have past away. Couldst thou, when summer hours are fled, To some poor leaf that's fallen and dead, Bring back the hue it wore, the scent it shed? No--leave this heart to rest, if rest it may, When youth, and love, and hope, have past away. Oh, had I met thee then, when life was bright, Thy smile might still have fed its tranquil light; But now thou comest like sunny skies, Too late to cheer the seaman's eyes, When wrecked and lost his bark before him lies! No--leave this heart to rest, if rest it may, Since youth, and love, and hope have past away. IV.Then, fare thee well, my own dear love,
This world has now for us No greater grief, no pain above The pain of parting thus, Dear love! The pain of parting thus. Had we but known, since first we met, Some few short hours of bliss, We might, in numbering them, forget The deep, deep pain of this, Dear love! The deep, deep pain of this. But no, alas, we've never seen One glimpse of pleasure's ray, But still there came some cloud between, And chased it all away, Dear love! And chased it all away. Yet, even could those sad moments last, Far dearer to my heart Were hours of grief, together past, Than years of mirth apart, Dear love! Than years of mirth apart. Farewell! our hope was born in fears, And nursed 'mid vain regrets! Like winter suns, it rose in tears, Like them in tears it sets, Dear love! Like them in tears it sets! |
