This edition was prepared by David Anderson — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Absent from thee
Staff Notation • Secular, Partsongs
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Absent from thee by Charles Vincent — Lyrics
The sun has gone down to his rest,
The fisherman back to his home;
The rough rocks are hoary with spray,
The shingles are fringed with foam;
The lovestar of eve is on high,
It glimmers beneath in the sea;
Enamoured I gaze, but am sad
Because I am absent from thee!
The robin has finished his song,
His last little song for the day;
The fields are deserted and lone,
The roads are as lonely as they.
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About Absent from thee
The composer paints a poignant scene of solitude as evening descends. The natural world settles into rest, from the setting sun to the returning fisherman and the robin's final song. Against this tranquil backdrop, the speaker's profound sadness at being separated from their beloved is keenly felt. The SATB choir brings this deeply personal reflection to life, with the English text expressing a longing for lost joys and a fervent hope that even the coming night cannot obscure the cherished image of the absent loved one. This is a heartfelt secular partsong that captures the universal ache of separation.
