This edition was prepared by Allen Garvin — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Besides a fountain
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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Besides a fountain by Thomas Morley — Lyrics
Besides a fountain of sweet briar and roses,
heard I two lovers loving talk in sweet and wanton gloses.
Say, dainty dear, quoth he, to whom is thy liking tied?
To whom but thee my bonny love? the gentle nymph replied.
I die, quoth he,
and I, said she;
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About Besides a fountain
Thomas Morley's charming SSAT madrigal, Besides a fountain, offers a delightful glimpse into Renaissance part-music for secular occasions. The text portrays a tender, flirtatious exchange between two lovers beside a fountain adorned with roses and sweet briar. Their conversation, full of sweet and wanton gloses, builds with playful declarations of affection and longing. The music likely reflects the amorous sentiments of the lyrics, capturing the gentle rhythm of their spoken words and the underlying romantic tension. This piece would suit a lighter moment in a concert programme, bringing a touch of pastoral romance to the fore.
