February 8, 1998
The Power of Love
Ellen Hargis, Soprano
Paul O'dette, Lute
Lyrics Set One, Below
Lyrics Set Two, Next Page
Henry Purcell: When First Amintas Sued for a Kiss
Listen to these lyrics performed by Ellen Hargis (soprano) and Paul O'Dette (lute and theorbo)When first Amintas sued for a kiss,
My innocent heart was tender,
That though I push'd him away from the bliss,
My eyes declar'd my heart was won.
I fain an artful coyness would use
Before I the fort did surrender,
But love would suffer no more such abuse,
And soon, alas! my cheat was known.
He'd sit all day, and laugh and play,
A thousand pretty things would say,
My hand he'd squeeze, and press my knees,
'Till further on he got by degrees.My heart, just like a vessel at sea,
Would toss when Amintas came near me,
But ah! so cunning a Pilot was he,
Through doubts and fears he'd still sail on.
I thought in him no danger could be,
So wisely he knew how to steer me.
But soon, alas! was brought t'agree
To taste of joys before unknown,
Well might he boast his pain not lost,
For soon he found the golden coast,
Enjoyed the ore, and touched the shore
Where never merchant went before.
John Wilson: Venus and Young AdonisVenus, and young Adonis sitting by her,
Under a Myrtle shade began to woo him.
She told him how great Mars did try her,
And as he fell to her, so fell she to him.
"Even thus," said she, "the warlike god embraced me,"
And then she caught Adonis in her arms,
"Even thus," said she, "the lusty god unlaced me,"
As if the boy should use like loving charms,
"Even thus," said she, "he seized on my lips,"
And with her lips on his did act the seizure,
But as she took her breath, away he skips,
And would not take her meaning or the pleasure.
Oh, that I had my mistress as that boy,
To clip and kiss me till I ran away.Fair Citharea sitting by a brook
With young Adonis, lovely, fresh, and green,
Did court the lad with many a lovely look,
Such looks as none could look but beauty's queen.
She told him stories to delight his ear;
She showed him favors to allure his eye;
To win his heart she touched him here and there
(Touches so soft till conquers chastity).
But whether unripe years did want conceit,
Or he did scorn to take her figured proffer,
The tender nibbler would not take the bait,
But blushed and smiled at every gentle offer.
Then fell she on her back, fair and toward;
He blushed and ran away, a fool too forward.
John Wilson: Stay, O, Stay, Why Dost Thou Fly Me?Stay, oh stay, why dost thou fly me?
Turn again and lay thee by me.
I am neither snake nor adder;
I'll not hurt thee, come and try me.
None shall of thy sight be gladder.Come and rest thee on my bosom,
I'll but braid thy locks and loose 'em.
Dew and drench them with the showering
Of mine eyes that hither woos 'em
With a fragrant stream down pouring.Yet not drown nor hurt them sweetest
If for fear of that thou fleetest.
They'll be dry if thou but eye them
Or if thou shalt think it meetest,
With my sighs I'll fan and dry them.Come and thou shalt taste of twenty
sort of fruit that here in plenty
Lie t'invite thee, blue dew berries,
Feapes and damsons to content thee,
Strawberries, green figs, and cherries.Ask these hills and mountains towering,
Ask these vales and meadows flowering,
All will tell hee what my smart is,
If thou canst not in my showering
Eyes and sighs read whose my heart is.The howling winds languish to see me
And make each leaf murmur wi'me.
Echo plains her and near sleepeth,
And to view the sorrows i'me
The night lowers and the morn weepeth.See'st thou this and canst deny me
The poor kindness to come nigh me?
Shall wind echo, night and morrow,
Hear and pity, and thou fly me
And have no sense of my sorrow?Ah, 'twill be to thee no glory
To be named in my death's story.
When thou see'st it, thou wilt rend it
And I know thou wilt be sorry
When 'twill be too late to mend it.
John Wilson: Power of LoveSince love hath in thine and mine eye
blankKindled a holy flame,
What pity 'twere to let it die,
blankWhat sin to quench the same.
The stars that seem extinct by day
blankDisclose their flames at night
And in a subtle sense convey
blankTheir loves in beams of light.So when the jealous eye and ear
blankAre shut or turned aside,
Our tongues, our eyes may talk, nor fear
blankThe being heard or spied.What though our bodies cannot meet!
blankLove's fuel's more divine.
The fixed stars by their twinklings greet
blankAnd yet they never join.False meteors that do change their place,
blankThough they seem fair and bright,
Yet when they covet to embrace
blankFall down and lose their light.If thou perceive thy flame decay,
blankCome light thine eyes at mine,
And when I feel mine fade away,
blankI'll take new fire from thine.Thus while we shall preserve from waste
blankThe flame of our desires,
No vestal shall maintain more chaste
blankOr more immortal fires.
