This edition was prepared by David Anderson — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
How sweet the moonlight sleeps
Staff Notation • Secular, Partsongs
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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.
SATB · James Gibb
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How sweet the moonlight sleeps by Henry David Leslie — Lyrics
How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank!
Here will we sit and let the sounds of music
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About How sweet the moonlight sleeps
Henry David Leslie’s How sweet the moonlight sleeps is a setting for SATB choir of lines from Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. The music opens with a gentle, flowing texture, conjuring the tranquil atmosphere of a moonlit night by a riverbank. Leslie’s part-writing creates a rich harmonic palette, with voices weaving together to depict the 'soft stillness and the night' that become 'sweet harmony'. This is an evocative secular part-song, perfect for exploring subtle dynamic shading and blend within the choir. The music effectively captures the lyrical beauty and romantic imagery of the chosen text, making it a wonderful choice for concert programming.
