written to the melody of: The Forest Altar by Mairéad Murphy (mod 27 by me) |
(technical tip- right-clicking on the music link and choosing 'new window' is one way to have the music playing while reading.)
a magical medieval lyrical tale...
(musical intro- two measures)
(harp and viola)
Three forest maidens at an altar bare
so pure, in hopes of princes fair…
(flute and piccolo)
Sleeping on cold marble stairs
three forest maidens, in loneliness, there
heard three horses, and rose to stare
one looked wide at me
and captured my heartbeat
there…
(harp interlude)
(flute and piccolo)
To the forests
forbidden to all men
three princes rode from their native lands
far beyond the mountains:
Over fields and gardens
through the autumn swirling
past the summer cottage
in the springtime rain, when
maidens came a dancing
maidens were a playing
maidens went a singing
in the morning springtime rain…
(harp)
Over rivers and mountains, cold
on we rode
to reach
the forest of the maidens, old…
(solo cello and bell)
Tall I rode,
I caught her smile-
she, of the sunlight
graced golden, and fair;
“Ho! So smitten!” They chided me;
Ah, but we all knew
that love was a’raining there…
(harp)
(at the forest altar stair… )
(cellos)
The guardian forest
spied three princes
“Who so ride-eth through our forbidden trees?”
(harp)
(at the forest altar, grand…)
(mandolins)
As we paused in wonder there
snow all around us flew, stinging and rare
wreathed in white shadows, and mists of gray
spirits of three princes
and three lovely forest maidens
danced!
(dance) (flute, piccolo, harp)
(cello)
On the forest altar, bare
dreamed a pure maiden, of princes, who came
riding, searching, for maidens pure
wreathed in beauty, wrought from the deep forest colors old…
(harp)
(at the forest altar, cold…)
(high cello)
Searching far and wide
no heed to mortal dangers
for maidens of the wood
who were fated to live
for eternity there…
in loneliness, in the glens
in lonely melancholy in the glens…
(harp)
(at the forest altar, cold…)
(solo bass)
“Halt, three princes!” the forest hailed;
“Though you be princely, you court danger in here!”
“Come, ride closer, so we may hear
and feel your heartbeats, to know
if your hearts beat both true and bold!”
(harp)
(at the forest altar, old…)
(flute and piccolo)
Then in the forest glen
deep in the magic woods
three maidens and three princes were granted truest love…
and were joined
at the forest altar old!
(solo harp)
In a forest old
three maidens pure and fair
with three true princes
married one another there…
(flute and piccolo)
At a forest altar bare
three lonely maidens, so pure and so fair
with three princes shown true and bold
there found the truest love-
at the forest altar
old.
(harp)
…at the forest altar, old!
Adding your comment:
