This edition was prepared by David Anderson — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Huntsman, rest!
Staff Notation • Secular, Partsongs
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Huntsman, rest! by William Thomas Pike — Lyrics
Huntsman, rest! thy chase is done;
While our slumbrous spells assail ye,
Dream not, with the rising sun,
Bugles here shall sound reveillé.
Sleep! the deer is in his den;
Sleep! thy hounds are by thee lying:
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About Huntsman, rest!
This four-part setting for mixed voices depicts a vivid scene from the hunt. The English text paints a picture of a weary huntsman urged to rest and forget the chase. The composer conjures a dreamlike atmosphere, urging the huntsman to sleep, assuring him his hounds are at his side and that no bugles will sound at dawn. The piece eschews the excitement of the hunt for a more tranquil, almost magical conclusion, where the sounds of the chase are replaced by the stillness of sleep. This secular part-song offers a chance to explore dynamic contrast and expressive vocal colours.
