And thou, great Iuno! which with awful might The lawes of wedlock still dost patronize, And the religion of the faith first plight With sacred rites hast taught to solemnize, [ ... ] Eternally bind thou this lovely band, And all thy blessings unto us impart. [ ... ]
Prayer to Juno
Set by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872 - 1958), "Prayer to Juno", 1957, published 1957 [ baritone, mixed chorus, orchestra ], from cantata Epithalamion, no. 11, London, Oxford University Press  [sung text checked 1 time]
Note: this setting is made up of several separate texts.
Authorship:
- by Edmund Spenser (1552 - 1599), no title, appears in Amoretti and Epithalamion, in Epithalamion, no. 22
Go to the single-text view
Confirmed with The Poetical Works of Edmund Spenser, Volume V, edited by Francis J. Child, London: Imprinted for William Ponsonbie, dwelling in Paules Churchyard at the Signe of the Bishops Head, 1591.
Modernized spelling used in Vaughan Williams's music:
And thou great Juno! which with awful might the laws of wedlock still dost patronise, And the religion of the faith first plight With sacred rites hast taught to solemnize: ... Eternally bind thou this lovely band, And all thy blessings unto us impart.
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Gustav Ringel
[ ... ]
Then I thy soverayne prayses loud wil sing,
That all the woods shal answer, and theyr eccho ring.
Authorship:
- by Edmund Spenser (1552 - 1599), no title, appears in Amoretti and Epithalamion, in Epithalamion, no. 7
See other settings of this text.
Confirmed with The Poetical Works of Edmund Spenser, Volume V, edited by Francis J. Child, London: Imprinted for William Ponsonbie, dwelling in Paules Churchyard at the Signe of the Bishops Head, 1591.
Note from text:
Lifull, life-full.
Modernized spelling used in Vaughan Williams's music (The calling of the bride):
Now is my love all ready forth to come: Let all the virgins therefore well await: And ye fresh boys that tend upon her groom Prepare yourselves; for he is coming straight. Set all your things in seemly good array Fit for so joyful day: The joyfulst day that ever sun did see. Fair Sun, show forth thy favourable ray, And let thy liful heat not fervent be For fear of burning her sunshiny face, Her beauty to disgrace. O fairest Phoebus! father of the Muse! If ever I did honour thee aright, Or sing the thing that mote thy mind delight, Do not thy servant's simple boon refuse, But let this day, let this one day be mine, Let all the rest be thine. Then I thy sovereign praises loud will sing, That all the woods shall answer and their echo ring.
Modernized spelling used in Vaughan Williams's music (Prayer to Juno):
Then I thy sovereign praises loud will sing, That all the woods shall answer and their echo ring.
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Gustav Ringel