Queen of Love (Alice Mary Smith)
Music files
ICON | SOURCE |
---|---|
Mp3 | |
File details | |
Help |
- Editor: David Anderson (submitted 2023-12-08). Score information: Letter, 16 pages, 637 kB Copyright: Personal
- Edition notes:
General Information
Title: Queen of Love
Composer: Alice Mary Smith
Lyricist: Francis Turner Palgrave
Number of voices: 4vv Voicing: SATB, minor B divisi
Genre: Secular, Partsong
Language: English
Instruments: A cappella
First published: 1870 Lamborn Cock& Co.
Description:
External websites:
Original text and translations
English text
REINE D’AMOUR
Close as the stars along the sky
The flow’rs were in the mead,
The purple heart, and golden eye,
And crimson-flaming weed:—
And each one sigh’d as I went by,
And touch’d my garment green,
And bade me wear her on my heart
And take her for my Queen
Of Love,—
And take her for my Queen.
And one in virgin white was drest
With downcast gracious head;
And one unveil’d a burning breast
With Love’s own ardour red:
All rainbow bright, with laughter light,
They flicker’d o’er the green,
Each whisp’ring I should pluck her there
And take her as my Queen
Of Love,—
And take her as my Queen.
But sudden at my feet look’d up
A little star-like thing,
Pure odour in pure perfect cup,
That made my bosom sing.
’Twas not for size, nor gorgeous dyes,
But her own self, I ween,
Her own sweet self, that bade me stoop
And take her for my Queen
Of Love,—
And take her for my Queen.
Now all day long and every day
Her beauty on me grows,
And holds with stronger sweeter sway
Than lily or than rose;
And this one star outshines by far
All in the meadow green;—
And so I wear her on my heart
And take her for my Queen
Of Love,—
And take her for my Queen.