Lay a garland

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"Lay a Garland" is a popular English madrigal compostion in E♭ major. It was written by Robert Lucas de Pearsall on 4 June 1840[1] and is scored for two sopranos, two altos, two tenors and two basses or as it is more commonly written SSAATTBB. The piece is based on a poem from the the play a The Maid's Tragedy written in 1608-11. It has been recorded by many choirs including Cambridge Singers,[2] Oxford Camerata[3] and Coro[4] and also been performed by notable choirs, such as BYU Singers[5].

[edit] Words

The text is taken from the song in Beaumont and Fletcher's play The Maid's Tragedy Act II, Scene I.[6]. The song is sung by Aspasia where her betrothed is forced into a marriage of convenience to the king's mistress. The words original words are as follows:[7]


Lay a garland on my hearse
of the[I] dismal yew.
Maidens, willow branches wear,
say I died true.
My love was false, but I was firm
from my hour of birth.[I].
Upon my buried body lie
lightly, gentle earth.

However Pearsall's music is set to these adapted words changed from first to third person[1][7]


Lay a garland on her hearse
of dismal yew.
Maidens, willow branches wear,
say she died true.
Her love was false, but she was firm
Upon her buried body lie
lightly, thou[II] gentle earth.

I^ : These words were present in the original poem by Beaumont and Fletcher but omitted in the composition
II^ : Word was added to the into the composition.

[edit] Recordings

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Madrigals and Partsongs. Oxford University Press, pp. 375. ISBN 0-19-343694-9. 
  2. ^ Cambridge Singers - A Cappella. Amazon (01/04/08).
  3. ^ English Madrigals and Songs CD. Amazon (01/04/08).
  4. ^ The Lover's Ghost CD. Dal Segno Records (01/04/08).
  5. ^ BYU Repertoire by Composer. BYU Singers (01/04/08).
  6. ^ The Maid's Tragedy, Act 2 Scene 1. Paul Ellison (31/03/08).
  7. ^ a b Lay a Garland. CPDL (31/03/08).