I love my love is a Cornish folk song that tells a dramatic love story through the text, with each of the stanzas ending with the refrain "I love my love because i know my love loves me!" The story is about a woman whose lover is sent off to sea by his parents in attempt to ruin the relationship. She becomes so distraught that she is sent to a mental hospital, when her lover finds out he immediately rushes to her and they live happily ever after.
Holst uses text painting to vary the mood, changing the dynamics, voicing, and harmonies of the singers to relate them closely to the mood and feelings of the text. Another example is in stanza 4 the lyrics tell of the women crying in a hospital and the lover coming back from sea to get her, Holst shows the intensity and passion of the moment by increasing tempo and dynamics. In the beginning versus the female voices are more disjointed to indicate her distraught emotions, while near the end of the piece when the story ends happily the harmonies become richer.
This piece is bases off a melody from Holst Second Suite in F for concert band, the movement called Song Without Words, and acts as an extension of the band version. The piece is at an andante tempo, and has a definite pulse that diverges in some sections. It is in the key of F dorian, and uses phrases that are call and response.
Lyrics:
Abroad as I was walking, one evening in the spring,
I heard a maid in Bedlam so sweetly for to sing;
Her chains she rattled with her hands,
and thus replied she:
"I love my love because I know
my love loves me!
O cruel were his parents who sent my love to sea,
And cruel was the ship that bore my love from me;
Yet I love his parents since they're his
although they've ruined me:
I love my love because I know
my love loves me!
With straw I'll weave a garland, I'll weave it very fine
With roses, lilies, daisies, I'll mix the eglantine;
And I'll present it to my love
when he returns from sea
I love my love because I know
my love loves me!
Just as she there sat weeping, her love he came on land,
Then, hearing she was in Bedlam, he ran straight out of hand;
He flew into her snow white arms,
and thus replied he:
I love my love because I know
my love loves me!
She said: "My love don't frighten me; are you my love or no?"
"O yes, my dearest Nancy, I am your love, also
"Also I am return'd to make amends for all your injury;
I love my love because I know
my love loves me!
So now these two are married, and happy may they be
Like turtle doves together, in love and unity.
All pretty maids with patience wait
that have got loves at sea;
I love my love because I know
my love loves me!
I love my love because I know
my love loves me!
So now these two are married, and happy may they be
Like turtle doves together, in love and unity.
All pretty maids with patience wait
that have got loves at sea;
I love my love because I know
my love loves me!
Holst uses text painting to vary the mood, changing the dynamics, voicing, and harmonies of the singers to relate them closely to the mood and feelings of the text. Another example is in stanza 4 the lyrics tell of the women crying in a hospital and the lover coming back from sea to get her, Holst shows the intensity and passion of the moment by increasing tempo and dynamics. In the beginning versus the female voices are more disjointed to indicate her distraught emotions, while near the end of the piece when the story ends happily the harmonies become richer.
This piece is bases off a melody from Holst Second Suite in F for concert band, the movement called Song Without Words, and acts as an extension of the band version. The piece is at an andante tempo, and has a definite pulse that diverges in some sections. It is in the key of F dorian, and uses phrases that are call and response.
Lyrics:
Abroad as I was walking, one evening in the spring,
I heard a maid in Bedlam so sweetly for to sing;
Her chains she rattled with her hands,
and thus replied she:
"I love my love because I know
my love loves me!
O cruel were his parents who sent my love to sea,
And cruel was the ship that bore my love from me;
Yet I love his parents since they're his
although they've ruined me:
I love my love because I know
my love loves me!
With straw I'll weave a garland, I'll weave it very fine
With roses, lilies, daisies, I'll mix the eglantine;
And I'll present it to my love
when he returns from sea
I love my love because I know
my love loves me!
Just as she there sat weeping, her love he came on land,
Then, hearing she was in Bedlam, he ran straight out of hand;
He flew into her snow white arms,
and thus replied he:
I love my love because I know
my love loves me!
She said: "My love don't frighten me; are you my love or no?"
"O yes, my dearest Nancy, I am your love, also
"Also I am return'd to make amends for all your injury;
I love my love because I know
my love loves me!
So now these two are married, and happy may they be
Like turtle doves together, in love and unity.
All pretty maids with patience wait
that have got loves at sea;
I love my love because I know
my love loves me!
I love my love because I know
my love loves me!
So now these two are married, and happy may they be
Like turtle doves together, in love and unity.
All pretty maids with patience wait
that have got loves at sea;
I love my love because I know
my love loves me!