She’s Like the Swallow
A keening lament for mixed chorus and string quartet of an anonymous traditional text and tune.
Duration: 6’ 15”
Difficulty: 4/5 (Difficulty Rating Overview)
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VOICES
Mixed Chorus (divisi, no solos)
INSTRUMENTS
String Quartet
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SHE'S LIKE THE SWALLOW
Trad./Adapted by J.A.C. Redford
She's like the swallow that flies so high,
She's like the river that never runs dry,
She's like the sunlight upon the sea shore,
I love my love and love is no more.
‘Twas out in the garden this fair maid did go,
For to pluck her some wild primrose,
The more she plucked, well, the more she did pull,
Until this maiden’s apron was full.
She climbed on yonder hill above,
To give a rose unto her love,
She gave him one, she gave him three,
She gave him her heart in company.
And as they sat on yonder hill,
His heart grew hard, so harder still,
He has two hearts instead of one,
She says, “My love, what have you done?”
“How foolish, how foolish you must be,
To think that I loved no one but thee,
This world 's not made for one alone,
I take my delight in everyone.”
Then out of these roses she made a bed,
A stony pillow for her head.
She laid her down, no more she did say,
Just let her roses fade away.
Her heart was broke and her body lay cold:
It was unto her true love the tale I told.
“I’m glad, I’m glad, I’m glad,” said he,
“That she had thought so much of me.”
And when I go home I’ll write a song,
I’ll write it wide and I’ll write it long,
And every line I’ll shed a tear,
And every verse recall my dear.
She's like the swallow that flies so high,
She's like the river that never runs dry,
She's like the sunlight upon the sea shore,
I love my love and love is no more.
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The text for this setting of She’s Like the Swallow was compiled by the composer from several variants of the traditional ballad. The music is the composer’s arrangement and orchestration of the traditional tune.
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She’s Like the Swallow was commissioned by Stanley L. Roberts for the Mercer University Mercer Singers and premiered by the Singers under his direction in January 2016. It was performed again for the Mercer Singers Farewell Concert on 22 April 2017 at Townsend School of Music, Mercer University in Macon Georgia.
Purchase She’s Like the Swallow
Choral Scores:
Order one score per singer plus one each for the conductor and the rehearsal pianist. Scores are delivered as PDF files. Purchase of choral scores includes permission to make the number of copies ordered.
Instrumental Scores:
Scores and parts are delivered as PDF files. A set of parts includes permission to make the requisite copies for the ensemble.
Pricing:
Choral Score - $2.75
Score & Parts - $10