canasg choral music publishing

SG1011

There was a sang

Poem by Helen Cruikshank (1886-1975)
Music by Michael Buck

SATB performance time approx 1m 40s

Composer's note

This is a song of remembrance of past love. Although the tone of the piece is sad, the memory of love strong enough to lead someone ‘through the shadows’ shines through - particularly at the end - as something positive. There are many points at which the music pauses, as if to dwell on a memory, and the performance should have the feel of inner speech, or thought.

A recording by Rudsambee company of singers is available on the album citrus and honey (RUBEECD002). Two companion Helen Cruickshank settings are Ballad of lost ladye and Sea buckthorn, also published by Canasg.

Music

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Words

There was a sang

There was a sang [song]
That aye I wad be singin'; [always] [would]
There was a star,
An' clear it used tae shine;
An' liltin' in the starlicht [starlight]
Thro' the shadows
I gaed lang syne. [I went long ago]

There was a sang;
But noo, I canna mind it. [now I can't remember it]
There was a star;
But noo, it disna shine. [doesn't]
There was a luve that led me
Thro' the shadows -
And it was mine.

Helen Cruickshank (1886-1975)

Full pronunciation guide provided

Price per copy Ł1.30 ($2.00)

Note: This price is for the first 20 licensed copies of the song, further copies cost only 25% of this price.

Companion pieces

Browse the Scots and Gaelic section of the Canasg catalogue for more songs like this one. To go there now, click on the 'catalogue' box to the right.

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There was a sang

Composer's note

Music

Words

Companion pieces

Canasg Music