How sad and solitary now (Jennifer Bastable)
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- Editor: Jennifer Bastable (submitted 2024-03-12). Score information: Letter, 5 pages, 335 kB Copyright: Personal
- Edition notes:
General Information
Title: How sad and solitary now
Composer: Jennifer Bastable
Lyricist: George Wither
Number of voices: 4vv Voicing: SATB
Genre: Sacred, Anthem
Language: English
Instruments: A cappella
First published:
Description: Communion motet for SATB, setting the first verse of George Wither’s paraphrase of Lamentations 1. The tune of the setting by Orlando Gibbons, Song 24 in 'The Hymnes and Songs of the Church' (publ. 1623), has been adapted to a bass cantus firmus.
The entire motet takes about 6-1/2 minutes to sing. If this is a little long for requirements, it is possible to trim the timing by a minute or so by finishing on the first chord of bar 44.
External websites:
Original text and translations
English text
How sad and solitary now (alas,)
Is that well-peopled Citie come to be!
Which once so great among the Nations was,
And oh how widdow-like appeareth she!
She rule of all the Provinces hath had,
And now herselfe is tributary made.