Monday, March 14, 2011

Here the Gentle Lark

Posted by
Emma

A few months ago, I found and fell in love with this old recording of Nellie Melba singing the song "Lo, Here the Gentle Lark." BUT, until today, it had escaped me that the words are lines 875-886 from Venus and Adonis!!!

There are other, moremodernrecordings of this song, but I like this one best. The old fashioned singing style suits the song so well - and even with the scratchy old recording, Melba's voice is amazing!

Lo, here the gentle lark, weary of rest,From his moist cabinet mounts up on high,And wakes the morning, from whose silver breastThe sun ariseth in his majesty;Who doth the world so gloriously beholdThat cedar-tops and hills seem burnish'd gold.Venus salutes him with this fair good-morrow:'O thou clear god, and patron of all light,From whom each lamp and shining star doth borrowThe beauteous influence that makes him bright,There lives a son that suck'd an earthly mother,May lend thee light, as thou dost lend to other.'