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from Volkslieder (Folksongs)

Ricercar II: Tomorrow shall be... (Sacred History)
Language: English 
Tomorrow shall be my dancing day,
I would my true love did so chance
to see the legend of my play.

Ritornello
 To call my true love to my dance,

Cantus Cancrizans
 Sing, oh, my love, my love, my love,
 This have I done for my true love.
 Then was I born of a Virgin pure,
 of her I took fleshly substance;
 Thus was I knit to man's nature,

Ritornello
 To call my true love to my dance,

Cantus Cancrizans
 Sing, oh, my love, my love, my love,
 This have I done for my true love.

Canon
 In a manger laid and wrapp'd I was,
 So very poor, this was my chance,
 Betwixt an ox and a silly poor ass,

Ritornello
 To call my true love to my dance.

Canon
 Then afterwards baptiz'd I was,
 The Holy Ghost on me did glance,
 My father's voice heard from above,

Ritornello
 To call my true love to my dance.

Canon
 Into the desert I was led,
 Where I fasted without substance;
 The Devil bade me make stones my bread,

Ritornello
 To have me break my true love's dance.

Canon
 The Jews on me they made great suit,
 And with me made great variance;
 Because they lov'd darkness rather than light,

Ritornello
 To call my true love to my dance.

Canon
 For thirty pence Judas me sold,
 His covetousness for to advance;
 Mark whom I kiss, the same do hold,

Ritornello
 The same is he shall lead the dance.

Canon
 Before Pilate the Jews me brought,
 Where Barabbas had deliverance,
 They scourg'd me and set me at nought,

Ritornello
 Judg'd me to die to lead the dance.

Canon
 Then on the cross hang'd I was,
 Where a spear to my heart did glance,
 There issu'd forth both water and blood,

Ritornello
 To call my true love to my dance.

Canon
 Then down to Hell I took my way
 For my true love's deliverance,
 And rose again on the third day

Ritornello
 Up to my true love and the dance.

Canon
 Then up to Heaven I did ascend,
 Where now I dwell in sure substance,
 On the right hand of God,
 that man

Ritornello
 May come unto the gen'ral dance.

Text Authorship:

  • from Volkslieder (Folksongs)  [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

  • by Igor Stravinsky (1882 - 1971), "Ricercar II: Tomorrow shall be... (Sacred History)", 1951-2, first performed 1952 [ soprano, tenor, women's chorus, and instrumental ensemble ], from cantata Cantata, no. 4 [sung text checked 1 time]

Set in a modified version by Gustav Holst, John Rutter, CBE.

    • Go to the text. [ view differences ]

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2010-03-23
Line count: 71
Word count: 366

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