Drink to me only

Henry Elliot Button's setting of Drink to me only captures the poetic sentiment of Ben Jonson's words, which speak of love's intoxicating power. The speaker finds more potent than wine the simple gestures of affection, a shared glance or a kiss. He recounts sending a wreath that, instead of withering, became imbued with the beloved's scent. This secular TTBB four-part song offers a rich and resonant musical expression of this devotion, ideal for a male choir seeking to explore the expressive possibilities of English part-song tradition. The composer's setting allows the text's delicate imagery and ardent feeling to shine through.