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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I loved a lass by George Dyson — 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 pass’d all others far;
She would me honey call,
She’d—O she’d kiss me too!
But now, alas! she’s left me,
Falero, lero, loo!
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About I loved a lass
George Dyson's setting of I loved a lass opens with a lively, imitative texture, the voices weaving around each other in joyful anticipation of the text's narrative. This SATB part-song captures the exuberant spirit of the Renaissance with its secular English text. The lyrics speak of a beautiful, adored woman who has since left the singer, leading to a lament. The music reflects this shift in mood, moving from light-heartedness to a more wistful expression, before the recurring refrain 'Falero, lero, loo!' brings back a sense of resigned, perhaps even jocular, heartbreak. It is a charming example of a composer engaging with a traditional text and a popular vocal form.
