Quick! We have but a second (Charles Villiers Stanford)

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•  Posted on 2026-02-07(Posted 2026-02-07)  CPDL #88280:         

Editor: Maia McCormick (submitted 2026-02-07).   Score information: Letter, 3 pages, 74 kB   Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes: Down a whole step (in Ab) for tessitura. Notated with repeats, contains editorial dynamics. (2p of score, plus title page.)

• (Posted 2024-03-07)  CPDL #79424:     

Editor: David Anderson (submitted 2024-03-07).   Score information: Letter, 8 pages, 492 kB   Copyright: Personal

Edition notes:

• (Posted 2020-06-04)  CPDL #59047:     

Editor: Gary D. Cannon (submitted 2020-06-04).   Score information: Letter, 3 pages, 78 kB   Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes:

• (Posted 2017-11-19)  CPDL #47512:       

Editor: Andrew Sims (submitted 2017-11-19).   Score information: A4, 2 pages, 74 kB   Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes:

• (Posted 2017-01-14)  CPDL #42643:         

Editor: James Gibb (submitted 2017-01-14).   Score information: A4, 5 pages, 84 kB   Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes: Reformatting of #400, with minor corrections.

• (Posted 2004-02-20)  CPDL #06774: 

Editor: John D. Smith (submitted 2004-02-20).   Score information: A4, 3 pages   Copyright: Personal

Edition notes: Scorch required to view and print the score. Scores listed alphabetically by composer.

• (Posted 1999-02-03)  CPDL #00400:        (Finale 1998)

Editor: Rafael Ornes (submitted 1999-02-03).   Score information: A4, 4 pages, 68 kB   Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes: Includes a keyboard reduction of the a cappella choral score.

Possible error(s) identified. See the discussion page for full description.

General Information

Title: Quick! We have but a second
Composer: Charles Villiers Stanford
Lyricist: Thomas Moore

Number of voices: 4vv   Voicing: SATB
Genre: Secular, Partsong, Folksong

Language: English
Instruments: A cappella

First published: 1922 J. Curwen & Sons
Description: Six Irish Airs (3)

AIR: PADDY O’SNAP

Original text and translations

English text

Quick! We have but a second, Fill round the cup while you may For time, the churl, hath beckoned And we must away, away! Grasp the pleasure that’s flying For oh, not Orpheus’ strain Could keep sweet hours from dying Or charm them to life again.

Then, quick! We have but a second, Fill round the cup while you may For time, the churl, hath beckoned And we must away, away! See the glass, how it flushes Like some young hebe’s lip And half meets thine, and blushes That thou shouldst delay to sip.

Shame, oh, shame unto thee If e’er thou seest that day When a cup or a lip shall woo thee And turn untouched away. Then quick! We have but a second, Fill round the cup while you may For time, the churl, hath beckoned And we must away, away!