This edition was prepared by David Fraser — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Care for thy soul
Staff Notation • Secular, Partsongs
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Care for thy soul by William Byrd — Lyrics
Care for thy soule as thing of greatest price,
made to the end to tast of power devine,
devoide of guilt, abhorring sinne and vice,
apt by Gods grace to vertue to encline,
care for it so, as by thy retchlesse traine,
it bee not brought to tast eternall paine.
Care for thy corps, but chiefly for souls sake
cut of excesse, sustaining food is best,
to vanquish pride, but comely clothing take,
seeke after skill, deep ignorance detest:
Care so I say, the flesh to feed and cloth,
that thou harme not thy soule & body both.
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About Care for thy soul
This is a potent secular partsong from the English Renaissance, sung by five voices in SAATB. William Byrd, a master of vocal polyphony, here sets a text that offers moral counsel. The music opens with imitative entries, quickly building to rich, homophonic textures that underscore the gravity of the message. The text urges the listener to care for their soul above all else, presenting it as a divine creation susceptible to eternal pain through recklessness. It also advises moderation in caring for the body and worldly affairs, warning against excess and injustice. The composer’s skill is evident in how the musical lines ebb and flow, supporting the persuasive rhetoric of the words.
