This edition was prepared by David Anderson — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Down in my garden fair
Staff Notation • Secular, Partsongs, 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 · James Gibb
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Down in my garden fair by Robert Lucas Pearsall — Lyrics
Down in my garden fair
Do pinks and roses bloom,
And flirt with every passing air
That stealeth their perfume.
And does not lovely Phillida
Her beauty bright display,
And flirt with every shepherd swain?
But none takes aught away!
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About Down in my garden fair
Robert Lucas Pearsall was a keen student of Renaissance music, and his secular partsongs often draw inspiration from the madrigal tradition. Down in my garden fair is a fine example of this, setting an English text in four-part harmony. The lyrics speak of flowers blooming and a beautiful lady named Phillida, whose heart is as unyielding as a diamond. The poem advises fair maidens to use their beauty wisely while it lasts, for like flowers, they too will fade. Pearsall's setting captures the delicate imagery and the gentle warning of the text with flowing melodic lines and rich harmonic colour, making it an attractive choice for a mixed-voice choir.
