This edition was prepared by James Gibb — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Blow thy horn, hunter
Staff Notation • Secular, Madrigals
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2 editions of this piece
Different typesettings and voicings of the same work. This page shows the main edition; the others are below.
STB,ATB · Brian Russell
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Blow thy horn, hunter by William Cornysh — Lyrics
Blow thy horn, hunter,
And blow thy horn on high!
There is a doe in yonder wood,
In faith she will not die:
Now blow thy horn, hunter,
Now blow thy horn, jolly hunter!
Sore this deer stricken is,
And yet she bleeds no whit;
She lay so fair, I could not miss,
Lord, I was glad of it:
Now blow…
As I stood under a bank,
The deer shoff on the mead;
I struck her so that down she sank
But yet she was not dead.
Now blow…
There she go'th! See ye not,
How she go'th over the plain?
And if ye lust to gave a shot,
I warrant her barrain.
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About Blow thy horn, hunter
Imagine a lively Renaissance hunt, a familiar occasion for secular part-music. William Cornysh’s Blow thy horn, hunter is a secular madrigal for six voices, STB and ATB. The text describes the pursuit of a doe, noting her uncanny ability to escape without bleeding. The hunter laments his missed shot and urges another to strike the elusive quarry. The energetic text, with its calls to 'blow thy horn', suits the spirited, imitative vocal writing typical of the era's part-songs. This piece offers a glimpse into the courtly and pastoral entertainments of Tudor England, perfect for choirs exploring the rich tradition of English madrigals.
