This edition was prepared by David Anderson — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Fear no more the heat o' th' sun
Staff Notation • Sacred, 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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Fear no more the heat o' th' sun by George Alexander Macfarren — Lyrics
Fear no more the heat o' the sun,
Nor the furious winter's rages;
Thou thy worldly task hast done,
Home art gone, and ta'en thy wages;
Golden lads and girls all must,
As chimneysweepers, come to dust.
Fear no more the frown o' the great;
Thou art past the tyrant's stroke:
Care no more to clothe and eat;
To thee the reed is as the oak:
The sceptre, learning, physic, must
All follow this, and come to dust.
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About Fear no more the heat o' th' sun
George Alexander Macfarren's setting of these words from Shakespeare's Cymbeline offers a poignant reflection on mortality. The text assures the departed that earthly troubles are over, and that the powerful and the humble alike must eventually succumb to the same fate. Macfarren's SATB arrangement, in English, captures the solemn yet comforting message of the lyrics. Originally conceived as a partsong, this sacred setting transcends its genre, presenting a universal meditation on the end of life and the acceptance of one's final rest. It speaks to the common destiny that awaits all, regardless of status or circumstance.
