Tis better to be vile (Michael Gray)
Music files
| ICON | SOURCE |
|---|---|
 |
|
 |
Mp3 |
 |
File details |
 |
Help |
- (Posted 2022-04-14) CPDL #68839:
- Editor: Michael Gray (submitted 2022-04-14). Score information: Letter (landscape), 9 pages, 255 kB Copyright: CC BY NC ND
- Edition notes: " 'Tis better to be vile" by Michael A. Gray is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
General Information
Title: Tis better to be vile
Composer: Michael Gray
Lyricist: William Shakespeare
Number of voices: 3vv Voicing: SAB
Genre: Secular, Partsong
Language: English
Instruments: Piano
First published: 2022
Description: Part of an on-going setting of the Book of Sonnets for SAB, piano. Please contact the composer to re-edit this edition. Thank you.
External websites:
- http://graymichael.com/Creative_Commons_Index_files/BoS%20121%20Tis%20Better%20FINALa.pdf
- http://graymichael.com
Original text and translations
English text
'Tis better to be vile then vile esteemed,
When not to be, receives reproach of being,
And the just pleasure lost, which is so deemed,
Not by our feeling, but by others' seeing.
For why should others' false adulterate eyes
Give salutation to my sportive blood?
Or on my frailties why are frailer spies;
Which in their wills count bad what I think good?
No, I am that I and, and they that level
At my abuses, reckon up their own,
I may be straight though they themselves be bevel
By their rank thoughts, my deeds must not be shown
Unless this general evil they maintain,
"All men are bad" and in their badness reign.
William Shakespeare (Sonnet CXXI)