This edition was prepared by Maggie Furtak — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Ashes
Staff Notation • Secular, Madrigals
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Ashes by Maggie Furtak — Lyrics
Come marry me unto the earth.
Cover me up with your roses,
Cover me up with the ashes of my youth.
I’ll drink the night gladly.
Bend me to the arms of the earth.
Fill my ears, pond deep.
Eyes are for dreaming,
Ease them shut.
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About Ashes
Maggie Furtak's Ashes is written for SSA voices in English. As a secular madrigal, it draws on a Renaissance tradition of word painting and intricate vocal interplay. The text is a poignant reflection on mortality and the desire for renewal, expressed through vivid natural imagery. The music explores themes of surrender, memory, and the longing to become one with the earth, even as the speaker clings to love. The composer uses the human voice to convey the tender yet ultimately stark emotions of the poem, creating a piece that is both introspective and deeply resonant.
