The curfew tolls (Stephen Storace)

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• (Posted 2022-08-11)  CPDL #70343: 

Editor: Christopher Shaw (submitted 2022-08-11).   Score information: A4, 3 pages, 127 kB   Copyright: CC BY SA

Edition notes: Please click on the link for preview/playback/PDF download.

General Information

Title: The curfew tolls
Composer: Stephen Storace
Lyricist: Thomas Gray
Number of voices: 1v   Voicing: solo high
Genre: Secular, Aria

Language: English
Instruments: Keyboard

First published: c.1782 (n/d) Eight canzonets
Description: Atmospheric setting of the opening stanzas of Gray's Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard. The accompaniment is for piano or harp.

Original text and translations

English text

The curfew tolls the knell of parting day,
The lowing herd wind slowly o'er the lea,
The plowman homeward plods his weary way,
And leaves the world to darkness and to me.

Now fades the glimmering landscape on the sight,
And all the air a solemn stillness holds,
Save where the beetle wheels his drony flight,
And drowzy tinklings lull the distant fold.