Death on the hills (Edward Elgar)

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• CPDL #32370: 

Editor: Peter Rottländer (submitted 2014-06-30).   Score information: A4, 7 pages, 154 kB   Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes:

General Information

Title: Death on the Hills
Composer: Edward Elgar
Lyricist: Rosa Newmarch after Apollon Maykov

Number of voices: 4vv   Voicing: SATB

Genre: Secular, Partsong

Language: English
Instruments: A cappella

Published: 1914

Description:

External websites:

Original text and translations

English text

Why o'er the dark'ning hill-slopes
Do dusky shadows creep?
Because the wind blows keenly there,
Or rainstorms lash and leap?

No wind blows chill upon them,
Nor are they lash'd by rain:
'Tis Death who rides across the hills
With all his shadowy train.

The old bring up the cortege,
In front the young folk ride,
And on Death's saddle in a row
The babes sit side by side.

The young folk lift their voices,
The old folk plead with Death:
"O let us take the village-road,
Or by the brook draw breath.

There let the old drink water,
There let the young folk play,
And let the little children
Run and pluck the blossoms gay."