This edition was prepared by David Anderson — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Hope
Staff Notation • Secular, Partsongs
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Hope by Thomas Ryan — Lyrics
Gentle lady, cease thy sorrow,
Grief from Hope should solace borrow;
What were life if Hope were lost?
A helmless ship by tempest tost.
Gentle lady, cease thy sorrow,
Hope may bring a bright tomorrow.
Sorrow robs the heart of pleasure,
Hope restores it without measure;
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About Hope
Thomas Ryan’s SATB setting of Hope opens with a warm, homophonic texture, the voices blending to create a rich sonority. The composer skillfully uses the full vocal range to project the text’s message of comfort. The music ebbs and flows, mirroring the sentiments of the lyrics, which speak of sorrow being overcome by the power of hope. The text, dated 1849, offers solace to a grieving lady, asserting that life without hope is adrift and tempest-tossed, while hope itself promises a brighter future and restores pleasure. This is a well-crafted, affecting secular part-song that offers a positive and uplifting message for any choir.
