This edition was prepared by David Anderson — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Go, pretty birds
Staff Notation • Secular, 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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Go, pretty birds by Walter Cecil Macfarren — Lyrics
Ye little birds that sit and sing
Amidst the shady valleys,
And see how Phillis sweetly walks
Within her garden alleys;
Go pretty birds about her bower,
Sing pretty birds she may not lower,
(Ah me, methinks I see her frown.)
Ye pretty wantons warble.
Go tell her through your chirping bills,
As you by me are bidden,
To her is only known my love,
Which from the world is hidden:
Go pretty birds and tell her so,
See that your notes strain not too low,
For still methinks I see her frown,
Ye pretty wantons warble.
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About Go, pretty birds
This delightful SATB part-song by Walter Cecil Macfarren sets a charming English text, likely from the late 19th or early 20th century, celebrating the natural world and its connection to romantic sentiment. The music opens with a light, imitative texture, evoking the fluttering of birds as they are tasked with delivering a message of love. The composer skillfully uses the four voices to paint a vivid picture of the birds in their 'garden alleys' and to convey the delicate plea of the speaker. The interplay between the vocal lines captures the essence of the poem, as the birds are urged to 'warble' and 'sing pretty' to ensure their message reaches the beloved, aiming to melt her heart with their sweet melody.
