This edition was prepared by James Gibb — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Alas, what hope of speeding
Staff Notation • Secular, Madrigals
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3 editions of this piece
Different typesettings and voicings of the same work. This page shows the main edition; the others are below.
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Alas, what hope of speeding by John Wilbye — Lyrics
Alas! what hope of speeding,
Where hope beguil'd lies bleeding?
She bade come, when she spy'd me,
And, when I came, she fly'd me.
Then, when I was beguilèd,
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About Alas, what hope of speeding
John Wilbye paints a vivid picture of unrequited love in this SATB madrigal. The text expresses the singer's frustration and despair as hope itself is 'beguil'd' and 'bleeding'. The beloved beckons only to flee, leading the singer through a cycle of deception and disappointment. The music mirrors this emotional turmoil, with moments of yearning and poignant reflection. Wilbye's skill in setting English text is evident, capturing the bittersweet ache of a love that offers false promise, yet paradoxically, still holds the singer's devotion, suggesting a resigned acceptance of love's deceptive nature.
