This edition was prepared by David Fraser — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
From Citheron the warlike boy is fled
Staff Notation • Secular, Madrigals
Preview
0
0
Subscribed as
Want Sunday picks sent to another address too?
Free weekly email
Your choir should not be left out in what's trending
Sunday mass selections, psalms, and trending songs in your area — straight to your inbox.
From Citheron the warlike boy is fled by William Byrd — Lyrics
From Citheron the warlike boy is fled
And smiling sits upon a Virgin's lap,
Thereby to train poor misers to the trap,
Whom Beauty draws with fancy to be fed:
And when Desire with eager looks is led,
Then from her eyes
The arrow flies,
Feather'd with flame, arm'd with a golden head.
There careless thoughts are freed of that flame
Wherewith her thralls are scorched to the heart:
If Love would so, would God the enchanting dart
Might once return and burn from whence it came!
Read full lyrics
About From Citheron the warlike boy is fled
William Byrd's madrigal From Citheron the warlike boy is fled is written for SATT voices. This secular work showcases Byrd's mastery of Renaissance part-music. The text explores the paradox of Love, personified as a boy who flees to a Virgin's lap, yet draws 'poor misers to the trap'. The poet laments suffering from Love's dart, questioning its justice and the nature of Love itself. The intricate vocal lines and expressive harmonies are characteristic of Byrd's secular output, offering a compelling musical setting of a complex poetic theme.
