This edition was prepared by James Gibb — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
A shepherd in a shade his plaining made
Staff Notation • Secular, Madrigals
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4 editions of this piece
Different typesettings and voicings of the same work. This page shows the main edition; the others are below.
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A shepherd in a shade his plaining made by John Dowland — Lyrics
A shepherd in a shade,
his plaining made,
of love and lovers wrong,
Unto the fairest lasse,
that trode on grasse,
and thus began his song.
Refrain:
Restore, restore my hart againe,
Which love by thy sweet looks hath slaine,
Least that inforst by your distaine,
I sing, fie fie on love,
it is a foolish thing
Since love and fortune will,
I honour still,
your faire and lovely eye,
What conquest will it be,
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About A shepherd in a shade his plaining made
John Dowland's A shepherd in a shade his plaining made paints a pastoral scene where a lovelorn shepherd laments his unrequited love to the fairest lass. This secular madrigal, set in English, explores the pain of love and the lover's plea for his heart to be restored. The text expresses the shepherd's devotion despite the cruelty of his beloved, questioning what triumph she will gain if he dies of sorrow. He begs her to keep his heart in her memory, lest he denounce love as a foolish thing. The piece is written for SATB and TTBB choirs, allowing for rich harmonic possibilities to convey the text's emotional weight.
