It wasn't easy to get started today as people, while eager to sing, had to catch up with each other after such a long break.
Amazing to tally that its really six weeks since we had to cancel our meeting and then our Christmas lunch because of the snow and listening to ourselves this morning we agreed the break had been too long and the voices had suffered. So the warm up took some time but we got off to a good start listening and moving to the beautiful voice of Custer LaRue with the Baltimore Consort singing the text from 1620 by the Scots poet Montgomerie, COME MY CHILDREN DEAR.
Listen to her singing IN A GARDEN SO GREEN---- CLICK HERE
Title: In A Garden So Green
Anonymous, pub. Forbes, Cantus, Songs and Fancies, 1662 Scotland
In a garden so green in May morening
heard I my lady pleen of paramours. complain
Said she, my love so sweet, come you not yet nor yet?
Heght you not me to meet amongst the flowrs? pledge
Elore, elore, I love my lusty love, elore lo.
The skies upspringis, the dew down dingis,
the sweet larks singis their hours of prime.
Phoebus upsprentius, joy to rest wentis
lost mine intent is and gone's the time,
Elore, elore, I love my lusty love, elore lo.
Danger my dead is, false fortune my feid is, enemy
langour my leed is, but hope I despair. dreariness, song
Disdaine my desyris, so strangeness my feir is,
deceit out of weir is, adew I fare.
Elore, elore, I love my lusty love, elore lo.
Then to my lady swyth did I my presence kyth, swiftly, make
saying, my bird be blyth, am I not yours?
So in my arms two did I the lusty jo
and kisst her tymis mo then night hes hours.
Elore, elore, I love my lusty love, elore lo.
Live in hope, lady faire and repell all dispaire.
Trust not that your true love shall you betrase. betray
When deceit and languor banished is from your bowre. refuge
I'll be your paramour and shall you please
Elore, elore, I love my lusty love, elore lo.
Some weeks ago Rosemary had given me the words and music of HOW CAN I KEEP FROM SINGING? and today we learned this beautiful hymn, singing it many times.
My life flows on in endless song
above earth’s lamentation.
I catch the sweet, though far off hymn
that hails a new creation.
No storm can shake my in-most calm
while to that rock I’m clinging.
Since love is Lord of heaven and earth,
How can I keep from singing?
Through all the tumult and the strife,
I hear that music ringing.
It finds an echo in my soul.
How can I keep from singing?
We followed this with THE TURNING OF THE YEAR, the song which celebrates the lengthening of the days, before stopping for coffee. Hearing the JAMESTOWN JIG I realised that some good practising had taken place over the holiday period. The fingers were nimble and at last the parts fitted comfortably together.
In a quick discussion at the end of the morning it was clear that everyone was in favour of the idea of having a Burns Lunch on 25th January. We'll now try to arrange that.
