This edition was prepared by David Anderson — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Farewell to my harp
Staff Notation • Secular, Partsongs
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Farewell to my harp by Elizabeth Gluyas Philp — Lyrics
adapted from “Dear Harp of My Country”
Harp of my country! in darkness I found thee,
Deep spell of silence had hung o’er thee long;
Proudly, mine own Island Harp, I unbound thee,
Gave all thy chords to light, freedom, and song!
Warm lay of passion, the light note of gladness,
Lovingly waken’d thy liveliest thrill;
Oft hast thou echoed the deep sigh of sadness;
E’en in thy mirth it will steal from thee still!
Dear harp of Erin, farewell to thy numbers!
This sweet wreath of song is the last we entwine!
Sleep with the sunshine of Fame on thy slumbers,
Till touch’d by some hand less unworthy than mine!
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About Farewell to my harp
The composer Elizabeth Gluyas Philp sets an English text adapted from "Dear Harp of My Country" in this multipart song for SATB choir. The words express a poignant farewell to a cherished harp, a symbol of the singer's homeland. The lyrics explore the instrument's capacity to convey a wide range of emotions, from passionate warmth and gladness to deep sadness, acknowledging that even joy can be tinged with melancholy. The final lines offer a hopeful wish for the harp's future, that it may be touched by a hand more worthy than the singer's, and that its memories will be enshrined in fond hearts.
