Orpheus Britannicus (Henry Purcell)

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Collection of 5 duets, piano part arranged by Benjamin Britten:

The link to the external site on which the edition below is hosted was removed on 6 November 2007 as the piano part is arranged by Benjamin Britten whose work is still under copyright in the USA and Europe.

• CPDL #11762

Editor: [name removed] (added 2006-05-22).

Edition notes: Duets from Orpheus Britannicus consist of the following 5 duets:

1. Sound the trumpet
2. Lost is my quiet
3. What can we poor females do?
4. No, resistance is but vain
5. Shepherd, leave decoying

General Information

Title: Duets from Orpheus Britannicus
Composer: Henry Purcell

Number of voices: 2vv Voicing: SS
Genre: Secular, Arias
Language: English Instruments: Piano
Published:

Description:

External websites:

Original text and translations

English text

1. Sound the trumpet

Sound the trumpet,

sound the trumpet,

Sound, sound,

sound the trumpet till around

you make the listening shores rebound

you make the listening shores rebound

the listening shores rebound.

On the spritely Oboy,

the spritely Oboy play

all instruments of joy

all, all, all,

all the instruments of joy

of joy, of joy,

that skilful numbers can employ

to celebrate, to celebrate

the glories of this day,

the glories, the glories of this day.

2. Lost is my quiet

Lost is my quiet forever,

Lost is my quiet forever,

Lost forever, forever lost.

Lost is my quiet forever.

Ever lost is life's happiest part.

Lost all, all, all my tender endeavours,

to touch an insensible heart.

But tho' my despair, is past curing

But tho' my despair, my despair is past curing,

and much endeserv'd is my fate.

I'll show by a patient enduring,

My love, I'll show by a patient enduring

My love is unmov'd, is as mov'd as her hate.

3. What can we poor females do ?

What can we, what can we poor females do?

When pressing, teasing, pressing, teasing, Lovers sue?

What can we, what can we poor, poor females do?

What can we, what can we poor, poor females do?

Fate affords no other way, than denying or complying,

than denying or complying.

What can we, what can we poor females do?

When pressing, teasing, pressing, teasing, Lovers sue?

What can we, what can we poor females do?

And resenting or consenting,

and resenting or consenting does alike our hopes betray

What can we, what can we poor females do?

When pressing, teasing, pressing, teasing, Lovers sue?

What can we, what can we poor females do?

4. No, resistance is but vain

No, no, no,

No, no, no, resistance,

Resistance is but vain,

No, no, no,

No, no, no, resistance,

Resistance is but vain,

Vain, vain, vain,

Resistance is but vain,

And only adds new weight,

And only adds new weight,

And only adds new weight to cupid's chain;

No, no, no,

No, no, no,

No, no, no,

No, no, no,

Resistance is but vain,

No, no, no,

Resistance is but vain.

A thousand, thousand,thousand, thousand ways,

A thousand, thousand,thousand, thousand arts,

The tyrant, the tyrant, the tyrant,

The tyrant knows how to captivate our hearts.

Sometimes he sighs, he sighs employs,

and somtimes tries the universal language of the eyes

The fierce, with fierceness he destroys

The soft with tenderness decoys.

The soft with tenderness decoys.

He kills the strong,

He kills the strong with joy, with joy,

He kills the strong with joy,

The weak with pain, with pain

The weak with pain, with pain, no, no, no.

5. Shepherd, leave decoying

Shepherd, shepherd leave docoying,

Pipes as sweet as summer's day;

But a little after toying women have shot to pay.

Here are mariage vows for signing,

Set their mark that cannot write

After that without repining,

Play and welcome day and night,

Play and welcome, play and welcome,

Play and welcome day and night.