This edition was prepared by David Anderson — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
An old story
Staff Notation • Secular, Partsongs
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An old story by Harry Waldo Warner — Lyrics
When evening’s twilight shadows fall,
The sun fast sinking in the west,
A peaceful summer night begun,
Each bird asleep within its nest;
Tis then in leafy lanes and bowers,
One hears an old, sweet story told;
And so till time shall cease to be
Will lovers tell that tale of old.
Go where ye will, be where ye may,
Would ye that same sweet story know,
But list ye at the close of day,
And learn how doth the story go.
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About An old story
This is a charming English part-song, An old story, for SATB choir. The text paints a serene picture of twilight and the quiet of night, when a "sweet story" is told by lovers. It contrasts this peaceful scene with the chill of winter, where warmth and shadow by a fire also evoke the same timeless tale. The music is intended to capture this nostalgic and romantic sentiment, suggesting that while the world may change, the enduring power of love will always be present, told and retold "till time shall cease to be" and "for ever, and for ever." It is a gentle reflection on constancy and affection, set in a beautifully evocative mood.
