This edition was prepared by David Anderson — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
I saw lovely Phillis
Staff Notation • Secular, Partsongs, Madrigals
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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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I saw lovely Phillis by Robert Lucas Pearsall — Lyrics
I saw lovely Phillis lying on lilies,
And fairer was she than her flowery bed;
But when she did spy me,
O, then did she fly me;
Not heeding nor hearing one word that I said.
Why did she fly, when I wished her to stay?
It is not well done, to drive lovers away;
For they'll sing fa la la.
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About I saw lovely Phillis
Robert Lucas Pearsall’s I saw lovely Phillis paints a scene of unrequited love and playful defiance. The text describes the narrator’s encounter with Phillis, who flees from him despite his affection. The music reflects this narrative with its madrigal-like qualities, characteristic of secular Renaissance part-music. The SATB voicing allows for rich harmonies and contrapuntal interplay, capturing both the initial tenderness and the subsequent pique of the narrator. The composer's setting, with its recurring 'fa la la' refrain, adds a touch of lightheartedness to the emotional journey, ultimately conveying the singer's decision to feign indifference to the woman who spurned him.
