This edition was prepared by David Anderson — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Bushes and briars
Staff Notation • Secular, Partsongs, Folk songs
Preview
0
0
Subscribed as
Want Sunday picks sent to another address too?
Free weekly email
Your choir should not be left out in what's trending
Sunday mass selections, psalms, and trending songs in your area — straight to your inbox.
Bushes and briars by Ralph Vaughan Williams — Lyrics
Thro’ bushes and thro’ briars,
Of late I took my way;
All for to hear the small birds sing,
And the lambs to skip and play.
I overheard my own true love,
Her voice it was so clear,
“Long time I have been waiting for
The coming of my dear.
Read full lyrics
About Bushes and briars
Vaughan Williams's arrangement of this traditional English folk song for SATB choir opens with a gentle, flowing texture, perfectly evoking the pastoral scene described in the lyrics. The voices interweave to capture the innocence of small birds singing and lambs playing. The text expresses the anxieties of a young woman contemplating a declaration of love, fearing rejection should she reveal her feelings too soon. The arrangement sensitively portrays her inner turmoil, from uneasy thoughts to the brave but potentially perilous step of approaching her beloved. The straightforward, memorable melody is treated with respect, allowing the poignant story to unfold with clarity and charm.
