sabine
2008-11-10
Edmund Waller's poem Go Lovely Rose, dates from the 1620s but was not published until 1645. Biographia Britannica references Waller as "the most celebrated lyric poet that England ever produced". Waller's verses were first set to music by his contemporary, Henry Lawes. This recording, the third in a trilogy of performances by the Washington Collegium, features a 20th century setting of the text by American composer, Eric Whitacre. Akin to his 17th century counterpart, Whitacre set the text to music when he was in his early 20s. The recording is dedicated to Janice Wolf.
Text:
Go, lovely Rose—
Tell her that wastes her time and me,
That now she knows,
When I resemble her to thee,
How sweet and fair she seems to be.
Tell her that's young,
And shuns to have her graces spied,
That hadst thou sprung
In deserts where no men abide,
Thou must have uncommended died.
Small is the worth
Of beauty from the light retired:
Bid her come forth,
Suffer herself to be desired,
And not blush so to be admired.
Then die—that she
The common fate of all things rare
May read in thee;
How small a part of time they share
That are so wondrous sweet and fair!
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