Seven Part Songs - Assemble All Ye Maidens (七首歌曲)-Susan Longfield/The Purcell Singers/English Chamber Orchestra/Imogen Holst

[ti:Seven Part Songs - Assemble All Ye Maidens] [ar:Imogen Holst/English Chamber Orchestra/The Purcell Singers/Susan Longfield] [al:Holst: Choral Hymns From The Rig Veda; Savitri; Seven Part-Songs; The Evening Watch] [by:] [offset:0] [00:00.00]Assemble All Ye Maidens - Susan Longfield/The Purcell Singers/English Chamber Orchestra/Imogen Holst [00:01.23]Written by：Gustav Holst [00:02.46]Assemble all ye maidens at the door [00:07.86]And all ye loves assemble far and wide [00:14.23]Proclaim the bridal that proclaimed before [00:20.59]Has been deferred to this late eventide [00:29.21]For on this night the bride [00:32.61]The days of her betrothal over [00:36.58]Leaves the parental hearth for evermore [00:42.22]To night the bride goes forth to meet her lover [00:54.41]Reach down the wedding vesture that has lain [00:59.26]Yet all unvisited the silken gown [01:03.66]Bring out the bracelets and the golden chain [01:09.00]Her dearer friends provided sere and brown [01:16.37]Bring out the festal crown [01:19.61]And set it on her forehead lightly [01:25.03]Though it be withered twine no wreath again [01:32.40]This only is the crown she can wear rightly [01:43.66]Cloak her in ermine for the night is cold [01:51.10]And wrap her warmly for the night is long [01:58.03]In pious hands the flaming torches hold [02:04.95]While her attendants chosen from among [02:10.37]Her faithful virgin throng [02:15.05]May lay her in her cedar litter [02:20.59]Decking her coverlet with sprigs of gold [02:24.97]Roses and lilies white that best befit her [02:36.05]Sound flute and tabor that the bridal be [02:43.56]Not without music nor with these alone [02:52.02]But let the viol lead the melody [02:59.57]With lesser intervals and plaintive moan [03:06.32]Of sinking semitone [03:11.09]And all in choir the virgin voices [03:21.76]Rest not from singing in skilled harmony [03:29.61]The song that aye the bridegroom's ear rejoices [03:44.30]Let the priests go before arrayed in white [03:52.78]And let the dark stoled minstrels follow slow [04:05.45]Next they that bear her honoured on this night [04:16.10]And then the maidens in a double row [04:24.14]Each singing soft and low [04:30.68]And each on high a torch upstaying [04:43.19]Unto her lover lead her forth with light [04:52.56]With music and with singing and with praying [05:07.49]'Twas at this sheltering hour he nightly came [05:11.36]And found her trusty window open wide [05:15.26]And knew the signal of the timorous flame [05:20.87]That long the restless curtain would not hide [05:24.18]Her form that stood beside [05:29.90]As scarce she dared to be delighted [05:34.06]Listening to that sweet tale that is no shame [05:39.56]To faithful lovers that their hearts have plighted [05:50.61]But now for many days the dewy grass [05:55.09]Has shown no markings of his feet at morn [06:01.40]And watching she has seen no shadow pass [06:06.54]The moonlit walk and heard no music borne [06:12.88]Upon her ear forlorn [06:18.30]In vain she has looked out to greet him [06:22.94]He has not come he will not come alas [06:29.40]So let us bear her out where she must meet him [06:48.42]Now to the river bank the priests are come [06:57.89]The bark is ready to receive its freight [07:04.51]Let some prepare her place therein and some [07:12.86]Embark the litter with its slender weight [07:19.97]The rest stand by in state [07:28.36]And sing her a safe passage over [07:36.98]While she is oared across to her new home [07:48.82]Into the arms of her expectant lover [08:01.23]And thou o lover that art on the watch [08:10.83]Where on the banks of the forgetful streams [08:22.08]The pale indifferent ghosts wander and snatch [08:31.80]The sweeter moments of their broken dreams [08:40.71]Thou when the torchlight gleams [08:46.34]When thou shalt see the slow procession [08:54.77]And when thine ears the fitful music catch [09:04.85]Rejoice for thou art near to thy possession