Six Choral Folksongs, H136

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No 1: I sow'd the seeds of love

Holst Singers, Stephen Layton (conductor)

Track 23 on CDH55171 [2'26]

I sow’d the seeds of love,
And I sow’d them in the spring;
I gather’d them up in the morning so soon,
When small birds sweetly sing.

My garden was planted well
With flowers ev’ry where,
But I had not the liberty to choose
The flow’r that I lov’d so dear.

The gard’ner standing by,
I asked him to choose for me;
He chose the Violet, the Lily, the Pink,
But these I refused all three.

The Violet I did not like
Because it fades so soon;
The Lily and Pink I did over think
And vow’d I would wait till June.

In June is a red, red Rose;
And that is the flow’r for me;
I’ll pluck it and think that no Lily nor Pink
Can match with the bud on that tree.

No 2: There was a tree

Holst Singers, Stephen Layton (conductor)

Track 26 on CDH55171 [3'02]

There was a tree all in the woods,
As fine a tree as ever you did see,
For the tree was in the woods,
And the woods lie down in the valley below.

There was a limb all on the tree,
As fine a limb as ever you did see,
For the limb was on the tree and the tree was in the woods
And the woods lie down in the valley below.

There was a bough all on the limb,
As fine a bough as ever you did see,
For the bough was on the limb, and the limb was on the tree, and the tree was in the woods,
And the woods lie down in the valley below.

There was a bird all on the tree,
The finest bird that ever you did see,
For the bird was on the bough, and the bough was on the limb, and the limb was on the tree, and the tree was in the woods,
And the woods lie down in the valley below.

No 3: Matthew, Mark and Luke and John

Holst Singers, Stephen Layton (conductor)

Track 25 on CDH55171 [2'13]

Matthew, Mark and Luke and John,
Bless the bed that I lie on.
Four angels to my bed,
Two to bottom, two to head,
Two to hear me when I pray,
Two to bear my soul away.

God is the branch and I the flower,
Pray God send me a blessed hour.
I go to bed some sleep to take:
The Lord, He knows if I shall wake.
Sleep I ever, sleep I never,
God receive my soul for ever.

No 4: The song of the blacksmith Kang, kang, kang ki ki kang kang

Holst Singers, Stephen Layton (conductor)

Track 22 on CDH55171 [1'26]

Kang, kang, kang ki ki kang kang.
For the blacksmith courted me, nine months and better;
And first he won my heart, till he wrote to me a letter.
With his hammer in his hand, for he strikes so mighty and clever,
He makes the sparks to fly all around his middle.

No 5: I love my love Abroad as I was walking, one evening in the spring

Holst Singers, Stephen Layton (conductor)

Track 24 on CDH55171 [5'08]

Abroad as I was walking, one evening in the spring,
I heard a maid in Bedlam so sweetly for to sing,
Her chains she rattled with her hands, and thus replied she,
‘I love my Love because I know my Love loves me!

‘O cruel were his parents who sent my Love to sea,
And cruel was the ship that bore my Love from me;
Yet I love his parents since they’re his although they’ve ruined me.
I love my Love because I know my Love loves me!

‘With straw I’ll weave a garland, I’ll weave it very fine
With roses, lilies, daisies, I’ll mix the eglantine;
And I’ll present it to my Love when he returns from sea
For I love my Love because I know my Love loves me.’

Just as she there sat weeping, her Love he came on land,
Then hearing she was in Bedlam, he ran straight out of hand,
He flew into her snow-white arms, and thus replied he:
‘I love my Love because I know my Love loves me.’

She said, ‘My Love don’t frighten me; are you my Love or no?’
‘Oh yes, my dearest Nancy, I am your Love also.
I am returned to make amends for all your injury
I love my Love because I know my Love loves me.’

So now these two are married, and happy may they be
Like turtledoves together, in love and unity.
All pretty maids with patience wait that have got Loves at sea;
I love my Love because I know my Love loves me.

Armonico Consort, Christopher Monks (conductor)

Track 8 on SIGCD447 [4'29] Download only

Abroad as I was walking,
one evening in the spring,
I heard a maid in Bedlam
so sweetly for to sing;
Her chain she rattled with her hands,
and thus replied she:
I love my love
because I know
my love loves me.

Oh cruel were his parents
who sent my love to sea,
and cruel was the ship
that bore my love from me;
Yet I love his parents since they’re his
although they’ve ruined me:
I love my love
because I know
my love loves me.

With straw I’ll weave a garland,
I’ll weave it very fine;
With roses, lillies, daisies,
I’ll mix the eglantine;
And I’ll present it to my love
when he returns from sea.
For I love my love
because I know
my love loves me.

Just as she there sat weeping,
her love he came on land,
then, hearing she was in Bedlam,
he ran straight out of hand;
He flew into her snow-white arms,
And thus replied he
I love my love
because I know
my love loves me!

She said: 'My love don’t frighten me;
are you my love or no?'
'O yes, my dearest Nancy,
I am your love, also
I am returned to make amends
for all your injury.'
I love my love
because I know
my love loves me!

So now these two are married,
And happy may they be
like turtle doves together,
in love and unity.
All pretty maids with patience wait
That have got loves at sea;
I love my love
because I know
my love loves me!

The arrangement by Holst (1874-1934) of the Cornish folk-song I love my love was composed in 1916 (shortly after the completion of The Planets) as the fifth of Six Choral Folk-Songs, Opus 36b. The folk-song itself was discovered by George Barnet Gardiner around 1904. The song tells of a maiden incarcerated in an asylum, mentally unbalanced after her beloved’s parents have banished their son to a life at sea. Holst’s arrangement is both dramatic and sensitive, with a successive più mosso, con passione and Vivace for the climax of the fourth verse.

No 6: Swansea Town Oh, farewell to you my Nancy, ten thousand times adieu

Holst Singers, Stephen Layton (conductor)

Track 27 on CDH55171 [2'54]

Oh, farewell to you my Nancy, ten thousand times adieu;
I’m bound to cross the ocean, girl, once more to part with you;
Once more to part from you, fine girl, you’re the girl that I adore.
But still I live in hopes to see old Swansea Town once more.
Old Swansea Town once more, fine girl, you’re the girl that I adore,
But still I live in hopes to see old Swansea Town once more.

Oh! It’s now that I am out at sea, and you are far behind,
Kind letters I will write to you of the secrets of my mind,
The secrets of my mind, fine girl, you’re the girl that I adore,

Oh now the storm it’s rising, I can see it coming on,
The night so dark as anything, we cannot see the moon;
Our good old ship she is tossed aft, our rigging is all tore,

Oh, it’s now the storm is over and we are safe on shore;
We’ll drink strong drinks and brandies too, to the girls that we adore.
To the girls that we adore, fine girls, we’ll make this tavern roar,
And when our money is all gone we’ll go to sea for more.

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