THE SILVER SWAN SATB (Orlando Gibbons)
DANIEL GILLIAM
The Silver Swan Performance Notes: The canon (mm. 18) is intended to sound free and improvisatory. One soprano begins the canon, and all other singers (except basses) enter the canon without being cued, and at any point they desire., but within quick succession of each other. There should be a “cascading” of sound. The canon melody is sung once per singer, and the final word “wise” should be sustained until cut-off from conductor. Basses are cued and conducted, and enter after all singers are sustaining “wise,” i.e. all singers have the sung the canon. Duration (depending on number of singers) ca. 3-5 minutes
The silver Swan, who, living, had no Note, when Death approached, unlocked her silent throat. Leaning her breast upon the reedy shore, thus sang her first and last, and sang no more: "Farewell, all joys! O Death, come close mine eyes! More Geese than Swans now live, more Fools than Wise." Orlando Gibbons
© 2013 FICTIVE MUSIC (ASCAP) Please report performances to Daniel Gilliam danielgilliam@gmail.com www.danielgilliam.com
The Silver Swan Orlando Gibbons
Daniel Gilliam
Patiently q = 76
Soprano
° bb 4 Œ p & 4 œ œ œ ˙™ The sil - ver swan,
p mf
mp mf
œ ˙™
˙™ Œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ w who, liv - ing had no note,
œ œ
when death ap - proached un locked
mf
œ her
mp p
p mf
b4 & b 4 Œ œ œ œ ˙™
Alto
The sil - ver swan,
Œ œ
œ ˙™
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ w
˙™
who, liv - ing had no note,
when death ap - proached un locked
œ her
p mf p mp mf
b4 &b 4 Œ œ œ œ ˙™ œ œ œ œ œ w ‹ The sil - ver swan, who, liv - ing had no note,
Tenor
Œ œ
œ œ
œ ˙™ ˙™ when death ap - proached un locked
œ her
mf p
p mp mf
? bb 4 Œ œ œ œ ˙™ 4
Bass
œ œ œ œ œ
¢
w The sil - ver swan,
œ ˙™ Œ œ
who, liv - ing had no note,
œ œ
when death ap - proached un locked
8
p
° bb & œ #œ ˙ si - lent
mf
˙™ Ó
œ
œ
œf œ ˙
œ ˙™
œ ˙ ˙
throat
lean - ing
her breast
u - pon the ree
-
dy shore,
f p
b &b œ œ ˙ si - lent
mf
Ó ˙™
˙ œ ˙
throat
lean - ing
p
b &b œ œ ˙ ‹ si - lent throat
˙
œ
œ ˙™
œ œ ˙
œ her breast
u - pon the ree f
-
dy shore,
mf
Ó œ ˙ lean - ing
œ
˙™
bœ bœ œ œ œ
her breast
u - pon the ree
-
œ ˙™ dy shore,
f p
? bb œ #œ ˙
mf
˙™ ˙ Ó
œ ˙
œ
œ œ ˙
œ ˙™
œ
¢ si - lent
throat
lean - ing
her breast
Copyright © 2013 FICTIVE MUSIC (ASCAP)
u - pon the ree
œ
˙™
-
dy shore,
her
Freely mf first
2
p f last,
poco rit. 14 tutti
° bb Œ p & œ- œ- nœ
solo
œ œ œ œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ Œ u Œ
thus sang her
Œ bœ ˙
and
last,
and
U œ œ ˙ sang no more:
first
p mf p
U œ
b &b Œ
Œ
Œ
Œ œ œ
˙
and
last,
U œ œ ˙
œ- œ- œthus sang her
first
and
sang no more:
p mf p
b Œ -œ -œ -œ U œ b & ‹ thus sang her first
Œ
Œ
œ
˙
and
last,
Œ œ and
œ œ U ˙ sang no more:
mf p p
? b Œ -œ -œ -œ ¢ b
U œ
thus sang her
first
Œ
œ
˙
and
last,
Œ
Œ œ and
U œ nœ ˙ sang no more:
Canon (see performance notes) a tempo 18
ppp
ff
, , Soprano Alto Tenor
b &b ˙ Fare
œ œ œ -
œ well, all
joys!
˙™
œ
close
mine
˙™ >
˙ O
Death,
come
˙™ eyes!
ppp
, ° bb &
œ
œ œ
-œ
-˙ ™
˙™
More geese than swans
œ now
live,
œ ˙ more fools
U w
U w
U w
than wise.
(cued) pp Bass div. Bass
? bb
∑
∑
œ
˙
œ #w w
¢ more fools
than wise.