In Winter cold - Whereat an ant (William Byrd)

From ChoralWiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Music files

L E G E N D Disclaimer How to download
ICON SOURCE
Icon_pdf.gif Pdf
Icon_snd.gif Midi
MusicXML.png MusicXML
Sibelius.png Sibelius
File details.gif File details
Question.gif Help
  • (Posted 2003-07-16)  CPDL #05342:        (Sibelius 4)
Editor: David Fraser (submitted 2003-07-16).   Score information: A4, 3 pages, 98 kB    Copyright: CPDL
Edition notes: Revised Oct 08.

General Information

Title: In Winter cold - Whereat an Ant
Composer: William Byrd
Lyricist: Geoffrey Whitney (c.1548 - c.1601) , from A Choice of Emblemes (1586)
Number of voices: 3vv   Voicing: SST
Genre: SecularPartsong

Language: English
Instruments: A cappella

First published: 1611 in Psalmes, Songs, and Sonnets, no. 3-4
Description: 

External websites:

Original text and translations

English.png English text

In Winter cold when tree and bush was bare
And frost had nipt the rootes of tender grasse,
The Ants with joy did feed upon their fare,
Which they had storde while Summer season was:
To whom for food a Grashopper did cry
And said she starved if they did help deny.

Whereat an Ant with long experience wise
And frost and snow, had many Winters seene,
Inquired what in Summer was her guise.
Quoth shee, I sung and hopt in meadowes greene.
Then quoth the Ant, content thee with thy chance,
For to thy song now art thou like to dance.