This edition was prepared by David Anderson — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
A border ballad
Staff Notation • Secular, Partsongs
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A border ballad by Oliveria Prescott — Lyrics
It was over the clover, and over the corn,
And over the meadow that merry May morn,
That he bore me with him on the back of his bay,
To the gay village green, to the Queen of the May.
It was over the valleys and hills far from sight,
By glen and by torrent at deep dead of night,
That his fierce rival carried me helpless away,
And swore he would wed me with breaking of day.
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About A border ballad
Oliveria Prescott's A border ballad unfolds with vivid storytelling, setting an English text for SATB choir. This secular partsong draws the listener into a dramatic narrative of love, rivalry, and pursuit. The music captures the journey across varied landscapes, from meadows to mountains, and the climactic confrontation between lovers and rivals. Prescott's setting emphasizes the changing moods of the ballad, from its pastoral opening to the intensity of the chase and the inevitable conflict. The four-part texture provides a rich canvas for the unfolding events, allowing for moments of both tender lyricism and powerful declamation as the tale reaches its turbulent conclusion.
