This edition was prepared by Ian Haslam — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Corydon, Arise
Staff Notation • Secular, Partsongs
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Corydon, Arise by Ernest John Moeran — Lyrics
Corydon, arise, my Corydon!
Titan shineth clear.
Who is it that calleth Corydon?
Who is it that I hear?
Phyllida, thy true love, calleth thee,
Arise then, arise then,
Arise and keep thy flock with me!
Phyllida, my true love, is it she?
I come then, I come then,
I come and keep my flock with thee.
Here are cherries ripe for my Corydon;
Eat them for my sake.
Here ‘s my oaten pipe, my lovely one,
Sport for thee to make.
Here are threads, my true love, fine as silk,
To knit thee, to knit thee
A pair of stockings white as milk.
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About Corydon, Arise
This charming SATB setting of an English pastoral text opens with a gentle awakening, as the voices gradually unfold in a warm, homophonic texture. The music vividly depicts the playful dialogue between Corydon and Phyllida, a shepherd and shepherdess from classical tradition. Moeran captures the idyllic scene with flowing melodic lines and delicate harmonies, painting a picture of a sunlit morning and the simple gifts offered by Phyllida to her beloved Corydon – cherries, a pipe, fine threads for stockings, and reeds for a bonnet. The interplay between the solo lines and the full choir evokes the intimacy and tender affection of the lovers as they prepare to tend their flock together.
