This edition was prepared by Scott Villard — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Four Irish Songs
Staff Notation • Secular, Folk songs
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Four Irish Songs by Scott Villard — Lyrics
1. O Spirit of the Summertime!
Bring back the roses to the dells;
the swallow from her distant clime,
the honeybee from drowsy cells.
Bring back the friendship of the sun;
the gilded evenings, calm and late,
when merry children homeward run,
and peeping stars bid lovers wait.
Bring back the singing; and the scent
of meadowlands at dewy prime;
oh, bring again my heart's content,
thou Spirit of the Summertime.
2. A Gravestone
Far from the churchyard dig his grave,
on some green mound beside the wave;
to westward, sea and sky alone,
and sunsets. Put a mossy stone,
with mortal name and date, a harp
and bunch of wild flowers, carven sharp;
then leave it free to winds that blow,
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About Four Irish Songs
This collection of four Irish songs for ATB voices opens with a passionate plea to the Spirit of the Summertime, recalling the joys of the season: the return of migratory birds, the sweetness of honey, the warmth of friendship, and the beauty of long evenings. The second song, A Gravestone, offers a poignant alternative to traditional burial, imagining a final resting place on a green mound by the sea, exposed to the elements and adorned with simple natural elements. The composer Scott Villard sets these evocative English texts, drawing on the spirit of folk song within a secular context.
