This edition was prepared by James Gibb — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
And must I needs depart then?
Staff Notation • Secular, Madrigals
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And must I needs depart then? by Thomas Bateson — Lyrics
And must I needs depart, then?
Can pity none come nigh her?
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About And must I needs depart then?
Thomas Bateson’s And must I needs depart then? is a compelling SSATB madrigal for a cappella voices. The music opens with a sense of urgent farewell, the voices interweaving to express the pain of separation. Bateson masterfully depicts the anguish of the text, with harmonic shifts and contrapuntal lines that underscore the emotional weight of leaving a loved one. The text speaks of a heart breaking asunder to satisfy a lady, a poignant theme common in the secular part-music of the English Renaissance. This setting demands vocal dexterity and expressive interpretation, offering a rewarding challenge for a skilled choir.
