This edition was prepared by John Hetland — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
A Poison Tree
Staff Notation • Secular, Partsongs
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A Poison Tree by Barbara Rosen — Lyrics
I was angry with my friend;
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.
And I waterd it in fears,
Night & morning with my tears:
And I sunned it with smiles,
And with soft deceitful wiles.
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About A Poison Tree
Barbara Rosen's setting of A Poison Tree opens with a sense of unease, the SATB voices weaving a complex texture that mirrors the building tension of the text. The music subtly shifts as the narrative progresses, reflecting the contrast between expressed and suppressed anger. Rosen captures the insidious growth of resentment, using harmony and vocal lines to depict the 'soft deceitful wiles' and the eventual, chilling outcome. This secular partsong is a powerful exploration of the destructive nature of unspoken rage, making for a dramatic and thought-provoking addition to any choir's repertoire.
