Song Cycle by Leslie R. Bassett (1923-)

1. Slow, slow fresh fount

Authorship

by Ben Jonson (1572-1637) , from Cynthia's Revels, Act I Scene 2.

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 Slow, slow, fresh fount, keep time with my salt tears:
    [Yet slower, yet; O faintly,]1 gentle springs:
 List to the heavy part the music bears,
    Woe weeps out her [division]2 when she sings.
     Droop herbs and flowers,
     Fall grief in showers,
     Our [beauties are]3 not ours;
      [O, I could still,]4
 Like melting snow upon some craggy hill,
     [Drop, drop, drop, drop,]5
    Since [nature's]6 pride is, now, a withered daffodil.

2. To music

Authorship

by Robert Herrick (1591-1674) , "To Music, to becalm his fever"

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Charm me asleep, and melt me so
With thy delicious numbers,
That, being ravish'd, hence I go
Away in easy slumbers.
Ease my sick head,
And make my bed,
Thou power that canst sever
From me this ill,
And quickly still,
Though thou not kill
My fever.

Thou sweetly canst convert the same
From a consuming fire
Into a gentle licking flame,
And make it thus expire.
Then make me weep
My pains asleep;
And give me such reposes
That I, poor I,
May think thereby
I live and die
'Mongst roses.

Fall on me like a silent dew,
Or like those maiden showers
Which, by the peep of day, do strew
A baptism o'er the flowers
Melt, melt my pains
With thy soft strains;
That, having ease me given,
With full delight
I leave this light,
And take my flight
[For]1 Heaven.

3. Great art thou

Authorship

by William Billings (1746-1800)

Great art thou, O music
and with thee there is no competitor...
Thou art like pure love...
Therefore thou art like Heaven 
and Heaven is like Thee.

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