The sun, his gladsome beam withdrawn (James Oswald)
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- (Posted 2023-09-12) CPDL #75337:
- Editor: Christopher Shaw (submitted 2023-09-12). Score information: A4, 2 pages, 254 kB Copyright: CC BY SA
- Edition notes: Please click on the link for preview/playback/PDF download.
General Information
Title: The sun, his gladsome beam withdrawn
Composer: James Oswald
Lyricist: Henrietta Knight, Lady Luxboroughcreate page
Number of voices: 1v Voicing: solo high
Genre: Secular, Aria
Language: English
Instruments: Basso continuo, Violin
First published: 1758
Description: Titled Absence. Written for performance at Ranelagh pleasure gardens and sung by Catherine (Kitty) Fourmantel.
External websites:
Original text and translations
English text
The sun, his gladsome beams withdrawn,
The hills all white with snow,
Leave me dejected and forlorn;
Who can describe my woe?
But not the sun's warm beams could cheer,
Nor hills, tho' e'er so green,
Unless my Damon should appear
To beautify the scene.
The frozen brooks and pathless vales
Disjoin my love and me;
The pining bird his fate bewails
On yonder leafless tree.
But what to me is birds or brooks,
Or any joy that's near?
How sad the lute and dull the books
While Damon is not here!
Each moment, from my dear away,
Is a long age of pain;
Fly swift, ye arms, be calm the day
That brings my love again.
O haste, and bring him to my arms,
Nor let us ever part;
My breast shall beat no more alarms,
When I secure his heart.