This edition was prepared by David Anderson — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Elm and Ivy
Staff Notation • Secular, Partsongs
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Elm and Ivy by Sylvester W. Holdredge — Lyrics
The elm tree of old
Felt lonely and cold
When wintry winds blew high;
And looking below,
He saw, in the snow,
The ivy wandering nigh;
And he said, “Come twine
With those tendrils of thine
My scathed and frozen form;
For, heart and hand,
Together we’ll stand,
And mock at the baffled storm.”
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About Elm and Ivy
Sylvester W. Holdredge's Elm and Ivy is a secular SATB partsong in English. Its text explores the theme of mutual support in times of hardship, drawing a parallel between the natural world and human experience. The lyrics describe an elm tree, feeling lonely and cold in winter, inviting the ivy to twine around it for strength. Together, they can withstand the storm. The song then extends this metaphor to human life, suggesting that individuals facing grief and disappointment can overcome their troubles if they stand together, heart and hand, rather than alone in strife. This piece offers a message of solidarity and resilience.
