This edition was prepared by David Anderson — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
He who seeks to tame the wind
Staff Notation • Secular, Partsongs
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.
He who seeks to tame the wind by John Cornwall — Lyrics
He who seeks to tame the wind,
Or soothe the blustering sea;
His labour but in vain shall find,
His toil shall wasted be.
So he who fears mischance of fate,
Or trembles at Dame Fortune’s frown,
Needs must sing, or soon or late,
Hey derry, derry down!
He likewise that goes about
To please each eye and will,
A golden gift, without a doubt,
Should carry with him still;
Read full lyrics
About He who seeks to tame the wind
John Cornwall's partsong, He who seeks to tame the wind, sets an English text exploring the futility of trying to control external forces or to please everyone. The composer uses a four-part SATB setting to convey the poem's message. The lyrics contrast those who labour in vain with the contentment of a simple, innocent life. The recurring refrain, 'Hey derry, derry down!', adds a folk-like, almost resigned, yet perhaps also spirited, quality to the overall sentiment. This secular work reflects on worldly anxieties and the search for inner peace, all set within a traditional English part-singing tradition.
