The Lake (William Webster Pearson)

Music files

L E G E N D

Disclaimer

How to download

ICON	SOURCE
	Pdf
	Mp3
	File details
	Help

• (Posted 2023-11-27)  CPDL #77632:     

Editor: David Anderson (submitted 2023-11-27).   Score information: Letter, 12 pages, 669 kB   Copyright: Personal

Edition notes:

General Information

Title: The Lake
Composer: William Webster Pearson
Lyricist: James Gates Percival
Number of voices: 4vv   Voicing: SATB
Genre: Secular, Partsong

Language: English
Instruments: A cappella

First published: 1890 Novello, Ewer, and Co.
Description: 

Original text and translations

English text

To Seneca Lake

On thy fair bosom, silver lake,
The wild swan spreads his snowy sail,
And round his breast the ripples break,
As down he bears before the gale.

On thy fair bosom, waveless stream,
The dipping paddle echoes far,
And flashes in the moonlight gleam,
And bright reflects the polar star.

The waves along thy pebbly shore,
As blows the north-wind, heave their foam,
And curl around the dashing oar,
As late the boatman hies him home.

How sweet, at set of sun, to view
Thy golden mirror spreading wide,
And see the mist of mantling blue
Float round the distant mountain’s side.

At midnight hour, as shines the moon,
A sheet of silver spreads below,
And swift she cuts, at highest noon,
Light clouds, like wreaths of purest snow.

On thy fair bosom, silver lake!
O, I could ever sweep the oar,
When early birds at morning wake,
And evening tells us toil is o’er.