This edition was prepared by David Anderson — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Hey nonny no!
Staff Notation • Secular, Partsongs
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Hey nonny no! by Henry Ernest Nichol — Lyrics
Oh! the first of May was a merry, merry day,
In the times of long ago,
For lad and lass went adancing on the grass,
With a hey nonny no.
With a derry down day,
And a fa la la la lay,
And a hey nonny no.
On the first of May all around is glad and gay,
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About Hey nonny no!
The first of May is painted here as a day of carefree revelry, recalling traditions of long ago. Lad and lass dance on the grass, and the scene is one of general gladness. The spirit of spring is alive, with birdsong joining the merry mood. The composer sets this joyful text in a four-part setting for mixed choir, incorporating the traditional refrain of 'hey nonny no' alongside 'derry down day' and 'fa la la la lay'. The music captures the lightness and playful abandon of the words, suggesting a festive atmosphere where hearts are light and movement is free.
