This edition was prepared by David Anderson — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Gather ye Rosebuds
Staff Notation • Secular, Partsongs
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Gather ye Rosebuds by John Winans Shryock — Lyrics
To the Virgins, to make much of Time
Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old Time is still aflying:
And this same flower that smiles today
Tomorrow will be dying.
The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun,
The higher he’s agetting,
The sooner will his race be run,
And nearer he’s to setting.
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About Gather ye Rosebuds
John Winans Shryock sets Robert Herrick’s famous poem with a sensitive ear for textual meaning. The four-part SATB setting unfolds with a flowing, homophonic texture, the voices weaving together to create a warm and resonant sound. The composer captures the poem’s urgent plea to seize the day, urging the listener to embrace life and love before time slips away. The English text speaks of the fleeting nature of youth and beauty, likening it to rapidly fading rosebuds and a setting sun. This secular artsong is ideal for choirs seeking a piece that is both musically engaging and thematically poignant, offering a chance to explore a familiar poem through rich choral harmony.
