This edition was prepared by James Gibb — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Die now, my 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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Die now, my heart by Thomas Morley — Lyrics
Die now, my heart from thy delight exiled:
thy love is dead and all our hope beguiled.
O Death, unkind and cruel,
to rob the world so of that her fairest jewel.
Now shoot at me, now shoot and spare not,
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About Die now, my heart
This setting of a poignant English text is a fine example of the secular madrigal, a popular genre of Renaissance part-music. Written for SATB choir, Thomas Morley’s music perfectly captures the sorrow and despair expressed in the lyrics. The text speaks of a heart exiled from its delight, a love that has died, and a plea to Death to end the suffering of a wretch who wishes for death but cannot find it. The composer’s skill in word-painting is evident as the music reflects the emotional turmoil of the text, making it a compelling choice for a concert programme seeking to explore the expressive capabilities of unaccompanied voices.
