This edition was prepared by David Anderson — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Echo's Last Word
Staff Notation • Secular, Partsongs
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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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Echo's Last Word by John Liptrot Hatton — Lyrics
"What! again at thy revels, thou wanton whatnot
With no purpose but mortals to mock?
Ever haunting the cloister, or wild mountain pass,
The lone forest, the cavern, or rock!
Tell me, Echo, what art thou, shade, elfin or fay,
Watersprite, or some mystical bird,
That unseen by us ever, dost hear and repeat,
E'en the fond lover's whispered last word?"
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About Echo's Last Word
John Liptrot Hatton composed this engaging secular SATB partsong, Echo's Last Word, for four-part choir. The text, set in English, explores the mythical figure of Echo and her perpetual fate to repeat the last word heard, a poetic conceit that inspired composers for centuries. Hatton's setting captures the playful yet melancholic nature of the lyrics, depicting the lament of a spirit bound to an unending cycle of repetition. The choir is called upon to embody both the inquisitive narrator and the sorrowful Echo, creating a dialogue between human curiosity and supernatural constraint. This work offers directors a charming and expressive addition to their secular choral repertoire.
