This edition was prepared by David Anderson — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
I loved a lass
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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I loved a lass by William Henry Bell — Lyrics
I loved a lass, a fair one,
As fair as e'er was seen;
She was indeed a rare one,
Another Sheba Queen.
But, fool as then I was,
I thought she loved me too:
But now, alas! she's left me
Falero, lero, loo.
Her hair like gold did glister,
Each eye was like a star;
She did surpass her sister,
Which passed all others far;
The tears stood in her eyes,
Like to the morning dew:
But now, alas! she's left me
Falero, lero, loo.
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About I loved a lass
William Henry Bell's part-song I loved a lass sets a poem of unrequited love and abandonment. The music opens with a gentle, flowing melody, quickly taken up by the other voices in imitation. The SATB setting explores a range of moods, from the initial description of the beloved to the narrator's lament. The text expresses a deep sense of loss, with the refrain 'But now, alas! she's left me' highlighting the singer's sorrow. This is a charming and expressive example of English secular part-singing, suited for choirs looking for a piece that combines lyrical melody with a touch of melancholy.
