This edition was prepared by David Anderson — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Come away, death
Staff Notation • Secular, Partsongs
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Come away, death by Geoffrey Shaw — Lyrics
Come away, come away, death,
And in sad cypress let me be laid;
Fly away, fly away, breath;
I am slain by a fair cruel maid,
My shroud of white, stuck all with yew,
O! prepare it!
My part of death, no one so true
Did share it.
Not a flower, not a flower sweet,
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About Come away, death
This setting of Shakespeare's "Come Away, Death" from Twelfth Night offers a poignant exploration of mortality and unrequited love. The text, sung here in English by a SATB choir, is a mournful lament from a lover forsaken by his cruel beloved. The composer, Geoffrey Shaw, crafts a sensitive musical response to the dramatic text, evoking the sorrow and resignation of the speaker. Its nature as a secular partsong makes it suitable for a range of concert programmes, particularly those exploring themes of love, loss, or the dramatic repertoire. The music should reflect the text's stark imagery and the plea for a quiet, solitary end.
