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Peter Gore-Symes

Four British Folksongs

(sArB)
This set is offered as an entertaining l0-minute concert bracket for an unaccompanied SATB ensemble.

A recording may be heard, and


perfonnance suggestions be read at:
http I I note s - about-music blogspot. com/ 2009 I 0 4 I setting s - o f- engli sh- fo lks ongs : .

for-satb.html

Dedicated to Anna

The Oak and the Ash


Traditional Br itish Folksong The numerous variants of this song aro thought to have come either fromNorthumbria or the North Yorkshire Moors region. but may indeed have Scottish origins. The air also surfaces in the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book, and in Playford's "Dancing Master" of 1650 (where it is titled "Goddesses").By the 18th century it had permutated into the well-known "The Oak and the Ash". Sir Walter Scott, in his novel "Rob Roy", makes the narrator of the tale (Francis Osbaldiston), in recounting the recollections of his childhood, tell how his Northumbrian nurse (old Mabel) amused him bysinging the ditties of her native countrie, and specifically names "O! the Oak and the Ash and the Bonny Ivy Tree" as a Northumbrian ballad.

A North Country Maid up to London had strayed Although with her nature it did not agree; So she wept and she sighed and bitterly she cried Oh I wish once again for the North Country. (CHORIJS: For the Oak and the Ash and the Bonnie Ivy Tree They all flourish at home in the North Country.
1.

2. While sadly I roam, I regret my dear home Where the lads and young lasses are making the huy; Where the birds sweetly sing and the merry bells do ring And the maidens and meadows are pleasant and gay (CHORUS).
3. No doubt if I please I could marry with ease; Where maidens are fair many lovers will come; But he that I wed must be North Country bred, And earry me back to my own country (CHORLIS).

(Arr.) Peter Gore-Symes 20A9,2011

J-60
SOPRANO

(lesl -

A North Coun-try
ALTO

Maid up to Lon - don had strayed;

Al-though with her na - ture it

"Coun-try Maid,
TENOR

f-

'-

#C

Lon don had

strayedo

with

her

nX =#? ture rt

BASS

poco

tempo

did

not

a- gree;

Which made her re- pent - and

so

bit - ter- lv

la- mentl

oh!

A
a a

her

re

- pent- and

so

bit - ter- ly

la-merff?ont

nlf u-

eH

4
wish

"!f, -V.
gain for the North

once

a-

Coun

try; J Oh

c-

the

Oak

and the Ash

and the

wish

once a -

\=#

gain for the

North

Coun try. Coun

and the

Ash- and the

North

try.

North

Coun

try.

/a
bon - nie

vy

Tree,

They

all

flou

rish at home

in the North

Coun try. -(**)A


try.

\Jr-

f,

tt.
bon -

nie 'ifra Tree, They all I - vy

*e

fi

flou

qr #7

rish a t

home

in the North Coun

A
at home

in the

North- Coun

try

A
the North

Coun

try.

closed mouth humming

rynf -l "a Sad- lv

+,1- -l roam" I re

\,
gret my dear home;

p
(mm)

vfT While sad-ly

I roam, I re-gret my dear home, where the

4
and young

P(mm)

Sweet-

ly sing, and the

\J
lass

ses are

fi

ma

''-Y

+l- \J
king

-f the huy;
the
huy;

Where the birds sweet-ly sing;

lads

and young

lass

es

are

iirak

ing

the

Huy;

and the

4,
mer {ry bells

do ring, and the maid

- ens and mea - dows are pleas ryP pleas-ant

ant and gay.

/f-For the

and

gay;

Ware pleas
t-3 -l

ant and

gay.

mer-ry bells do ring, and

the

mai - dens and mea - dows are pleas

ant and gay.

,n/A
Oakand- the Ash" and the Bon - nie I - vy
ree;

They all flou

rish at ome ln my

3-r

,AA
They

lgl

nuo

and

the 3-r

Ash.-

-vy Tree;

=!= all flou- risll'at home

in my

fr" OaL

and the Ash-

I-

vy

Tree;-

at home

in my

f
26

andthe

Bon-nie I-vy Tree;


Rallentando...

my

Adagietto apiacere

North

Coun - try.

"!ffro

North Coun

p
trv. (mm)

North Coun

try.

g_J

North

Coun

try.

(mm)

A
doubt

if I please,

I could mar- ry with

ease;

(mm)

n
(mm)

mm)A
A
(mm)
here

mai dens are fair, ma - ny

mm)

(mm)-

(mm)

A
ai

3al

A fwed r must be North- Coun-trv


tl

//
and-

(mm)

But-

he that I

bred;

//

tr-

(mm)

l'.

(mm),A -

"3/

North Coun - try bred; bred;

//

lo - vers

will

come;

mf d North Coun - try

\y
//

(mm)

ryfNoth Coun - try bied;

4
ry
me

Coun
rallentando

try.

back

to

my

own

try.

\1-J "!f Car

ry

back

my

own

coun

"!f

me

back

Pro

my

own_

coun

try.

A
my

own

coun

try.

Dedicated to Marie

Rosebud in June
Traditional Somerset Folksong

Many broadsheet folksong texts - and poetry - of the 17th and 18th centuries tended to romanticize and sentimentalizethe imagined world of the rural lower clesses. Similarly, artists were fond of painting idealised cottage scenes as a form of escapism from the "dark satanic mills" of industrial towns. [n "Rosebud in June" there is none of the frequent darkness and bitterness of allegorical political lyrics of earlier times. This innocent but passionate Somerset melody, with its hints of West Country accent in its rhyming, was thought to bestow blessings on flocks and crops.
It's a Rosebud in June And violets in full bloom; And the small birds singing Love songs on each spray. We'll pipe and we'll sing, love, We'll dance in a ring, love, When each lad takes his lass All on the green grass; And it's "All to plough" Where the fat oxen graze low, And the lads and the lasses To sheep-shearing go. (An.) Peter Gore-Symes 2009,2011 (lesr )

Boldlv and decisivelvJ


SOPRANO

:60
nw - (Small

f
ALTO

]|t', a Rose-bud

in

June"

and-

- lets in full bloom,

birds

(mm)

(ah)

(Small-

birds

TENOR
\--l

(ah)

And

the small- birds

BASS

poco rit.

tempo

,-,
a

sing - ing)

(ah)

/fWe'll- pipe- and we'll

sing tou:,

w@n)

sing - ing)

(ah)

(ah)

" We'll- dance-

T-t

in

sing ing love songs on each spray;

(ah)

poco rit.

tempo

(ah)

mf green
"

grass;

And it's
,

"All-

ring,

love;

green

And it's

"All-

/wt

"n

each lad takes

his lass. All-

\-/

on the gree-ny grass;

fnno it's "All-

And it's

"All-

to

-.---Z plough"-

Where the

fat-

ox

en

low; And

the

A
to

plough"-

(ah)
o

gtaze_ low;

\,

A
gtaze

ploughplough-

(ah)

low;

A
graze

low;

lads-

and

the

lass

eS'

to-

sheep

shear

- ing

go!

A
lass

///r
sheepshear

CS

ing

go!

A
lass
CS

A
sheep

shear

ing

go!

A
lass

//a
sheep

es

shear

- ing

go!

Dedicated to Ir{icolette

Bonny atMorn
Trad it ional Northumbr ion F ol ks ong

"Bonnie at Morn" was originally an instrumental melody for the charismatic north-eastern bagpipe. Words were added later, but singers often still enjoy the habit of extemponzing characteristically wide bagpipe-like omaments. The song tells the story of an exasperated mother who lovingly chides her children for sleeping in too long and neglecting their farm duties.
1. The sheep are in the meadow and the coh's [:cow] in the corn, Thou's o'wer laing in thy bed, Bonny at Mom. [repeat these two lines] (cHoRrJs) Canny at night, bonny at morn Thou's o'wer laing in thy bed, Bonny at Morn.

2. We're aJaid idle with the keeping of the baim [:baby] The lad will nae work and the lass will nae lairn. [repeat these two lines]

(cHoRUS)
3. The birdie's in the nest and the trout is in the burn [-stream], Thou hinders thy mother at every turn. [repeat these two lines]

(cHoRrJS)

(An.)
Dolce expressivo ad libitum J , SOPRANO
on7 "7
tl'l

Peter Gore-Symes 2A09,2011

(resl
90

-)

The sheep's- in the mea- dows, The-

coh's-

in the

corn- Thou's o' - wer laing

ALTO

TEI{OR

BASS

dim.

1a

in thy bed."Bon-nv at Mdrn.

mr-mp

The

sheep's in the mea- dows,

The coh's- in the

cornr_

Thou's-

Bon-ny at

Morn.-

A
\,-.J
Bon-ny
at

Morn.-

*--

ryBon ny at

Morn.-

\7

dim.

)
at

subito dolce

wer_

laing in thy bed, Bon-ny

Morn.

fiun-ny

at

night,

Bon-ny

at

ry

Bon-ny

at

Morn.

Can-ny at

p U night- Bon-ny at-

Bon-ny

at

Morn.

V mm)-l

Bon-nv

ry

at

rr f* Morn. "(ah)-

...-__-

A}

Morn;

Thou's

wer_

laing in thy bed, Bon ny at

Morn.

4n, we're a

laid-

pu
Bon ny
at

p
-,4

Bon ny

at

Morn.

Pron-

ny

at Morn.

doloroso
|
id - le

,inil,

with the keep-ing of the bairn; The lad will nae- work" and the lass

will

\,

nae lairn;

4n,

lass

will

nae

ralrn;

,>--,

w will lass

nae

lairn:

\-i

Wlass will nae lairn;

subito dolce

we're a laid- id - le with the keep - ing of the

bairn,

The-

lad- will nae- work,

\,

ry the and

calando

poco

A
\--l

lass will

nae

lairn:

-nCan-nv
,

at

night,

Bon-ny

at

Morn; Thou's

wer laing

p
lass will
nae

lairn; -,-?

Can-ny at

it'Lt \4

nrght-

Bon-ny

at --

Morn;

-_-

lass will

nae lairn;

Pp 'v

(ah)-

lass will

nae lairn;

ppv

(ah)-

Calando

Piil urgente

in thy- bed, Bon-ny

at

Morn.

ry{,
Bon -

ny

at

A)

ryBon nv

\--_-P
at

Morn.

frn"

bir-die's in the nest- and thetrout is in the

ryp

Bon ny

at

Morn.-

nlf

ut

eve

ry-

turn

7;\-/

"!f at
,

e-

ve

ry-

turn

!-

I ' burn;- Thou Ihin - ders

'r*rllf--mf
rFl

thy- mot -her " at


rl ' I at

eve

turn;

frn"

bir - die's in the

4'

every

turn;

dim.

"!f
nllf ->

everv

--

nest- and

\-/ the

trout's- in the

burn;

Thou-

\-,hin - ders

thy- mo-ther

at

everv --

ryfevery

crescendo

allargando

turn;

frun-

ny-

at

night,

Bon

ny

at-

Morn;

x--'->
turn;

Can

ny

at

"!f Bon ny

at

turn:

(ah)

(mm)

\_:

(ah)

meno mosso

calando

//
at

morendo

wer- laing

in thy- bed, Bon - ny

Morn.

-Bon-nv
J

pl

at

IHrn.

ry\-:/
Bon
at

\\-.- - PTr^ ny atMorn.//

\7
Morn.

//

ry ny Bon

p
at

Morn.

Bon

ny at- M:*

//

//q
OSSIA

p
Bon
ny
at

Morn.-

Bon -

ny

at

Dedicated to Dale

Searchittg for Lambs


Tradit ional Brit
is

h F olkson g

This was described by Cecil Sharp, that inveterate collector of British folk music, as "the most perfect folksong". Mostly in a catchy 5-beat pattern of 2+3, its timeless story of "boy-meets-girl" is self-explanatory: never was a courtship quite as metoric as this.
1. As I went out one May morning, One May morning betime, I met a maid from home had strayed Just as the sun did shine.

2. What makes you rise so soon, ffiy dear, Yourjourney to pursue? Your pretfy little feet they tread so sweet, Strike off the morning dew. 3. I'm going to feed my father's flock, His young and tender lambs, That over hills and over dales Lie waiting for their dams. 4. O stay! O stay! you handsome maid

And rest a moment here,


For there is none but you alone That I do love so dear.
5. How gloriously the sun doth shine, How pleasant is the air;

I'd rather rest on a true love's breast Than any other where. 6. For I am thine and thou art mine; No man shall uncomfort thee. We'll join our hands in wedded bands and-a married we shall be.

Con moto SOPRANO

.:7A

ALTO

TENOR
mor- ning, BASS time,

(ah)-

(be

time)

p
(ah)

,J
met a maid- from- home had

stray'd, Just

as the

sun- did

shine.-

ry makes you ri- se so What


p
(ah)

(met maid)

(home had strayed)

(as

sun-

did shine)

closed mouth hum

(ah)

(mm)

soon

my

dear?

Yourjour-ney

to-

pur - sue? Your pret-ty lit-tle feet- they- tread


closed mouth hum

so

sweeto Strike

(pur

sue)

(tread so sweet)

mfirr
['m going

to

feed

my fath-er's flocko Hisyoung and ten- der lambs, That

mor - ning dew.

._J

fath-er's

ock)

(ten -

der lambs)

off the mor - ning dew.

off

mor-ning dew.

.J
o-ver

hills-

and

ov-ver dales,- Lie wait-ing for-their dams.

\-: hills-

wait- ing

\, for their dams.

"tf o

stay,

stay, you

'!f'g

stay, o

T3-r
hand- some

maid

and rest a

mo- ment here,

For

there is none but you a-lone, That

-^
stay- you hand some maid; rnr|
(rest

73
mo-ment here)

A,
you a- lone that

33

poco rall e dim...

a tempo

\-/ I do love so

'mT
dear.

"

(glor - ious ly)

(sun doth

shine)

How plea-sant

is- the

A love so
dear.

(glor - ious ly)

(sun

doth

shine)

Plea-sant

is-

the

,J
do love
so

dear.- How glor - ious - ly-- the

tf-

sun

doth

shine,

f p'----.-z (mm mm-mm


'-r

A,
Iove so
f7\'/Y4 dear.u

r-3
How glor-ious

ly-

the-

sun

doth

p
shine;

(mm

piit lento e titubante

Giocoso

air:

I'd

rath-er

."r* rtA

aff;

ra-ther rest

breast

oth-

er-

\-,-

where

,A
air)

ra-ther rest

reast

oth-er

where

f;,
fro,

\ir'

air)

ra-ther rest

breast-

oth- er

where

funa

thou

art

mine;

We'll join our

f\J u and- thou art

7-

mlne:

We'll join our

arn

thine

No man shall un-com-fort

thee:

am thine

No

man- shall un-com-fort thee;

poco rall e dim

Adagio

poco o poco rall e cresc.......

hands

and-a

mar

ried

shal

fn u'-be

6hands

and-a

mar

ried

\--./ we_

shall

wed

ded

bands; and-a mar

ried

shall-

be!

A<
wed - ded
bands:

and-a

mar - ried

we-

shall-

be!

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