This edition was prepared by James Gibb — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Ay me, poor heart!
Staff Notation • Secular, Madrigals
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2 editions of this piece
Different typesettings and voicings of the same work. This page shows the main edition; the others are below.
SATB · Brian Russell
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Ay me, poor heart! by Giles Farnaby — Lyrics
Ay me, poor heart!
Since Love hath played his part,
my senses all are lost,
my mind eke tossed
like waves that swell.
Sweet god of Love,
thou dost excel!
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About Ay me, poor heart!
Giles Farnaby was an English composer of the late Renaissance, a contemporary of Byrd and Morley. His secular part-songs, or madrigals, were highly regarded. Ay me, poor heart! is a fine example of this genre, written for SATB choir. The English text expresses the singer's distress and confusion following a spurning by love. He describes his senses as lost and his mind tossed like waves, appealing to the god of Love and calling for divine intervention to cure his suffering. The music reflects the emotional turmoil of the text, creating a vivid portrayal of unrequited affection.
