Music and Texts of GARY BACHLUND
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Sigh no More - (2011)
William Shakespeare
for baritone and piano
Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more,
Men were deceivers ever;
One foot in sea, and one on shore,
To one thing constant never.
Then sigh not so,
But let them go,
And be you blith and bonny,
Converting all your sounds of woe
Into Hey nonny, nonny.
Sing no more ditties, sing no mo
Of dumps so dull and heavy;
The fraud of men was ever so,
Since summer first was leavy.
Then sigh not so,
But let them go,
And be you blith and bonny,
Converting all your sounds of woe
Into Hey nonny, nonny.[ 3 pages, circa 2' 15" ]
William Shakespeare
The text comes from Much Ado About Nothing, Act II, Scene 3. Balthazar speaks to his lord, Don Pedro, of wooing, and before this song says, "Because you talk of wooing, I will sing; since many a wooer doth commence his suit to her he thinks not worthy; yet he woes; yet will he swear he loves." Don Pedro urges him make the argument "in notes." After having sung his ditty, Balthazar plays the slyly self-effacing servant, responding, "...an ill singer, my lord."
The jaunty opening gives way to a lessening gesture as at measure 9 and thereafter, which serves as curtain to the first and between the two strophes in this simple verse form.
The refrain is extended as a coda to the two strophes, energetically ending this advice to women.
The score for Sigh no More is available as a free PDF download, though any major commercial performance or recording of the work is prohibited without prior arrangement with the composer. Click on the graphic below for this piano-vocal score.
