I composed this song back in the early nineties while I wasexperimenting with extended tonality. The text of this anonymous poet propelledme to use a more pensive style but without deviating from the romantic style Ihad envision for this song.

The song form isalmost an announcement without repeats or technical remedies for a cyclic formas we mostly are accustomed from the romantic period or in general from songwriting. It is a simple story that was told once.

Dedicated to composer Jakov Jakoulov who made me see that the fineprint of my music.

SATB
Sample audio is from 2012 by a 12-student, college ensemble

The Silver Swan by Orlando Gibbons

The silver swan, who living had no note,
When death approached, unlocked her silent throat;
Leaning her breast against the reedy shore,
Thus sung her first and last, and sung no more:
?Farewell, all joys; Oh death, come close mine eyes;
More geese than swans now live, more fools than wise.?

Madrigal by Orlando Gibbons arranged for instrumental quintet.
The words of the original are:
The silver swan, who living had no note,
When death approached
Unlocked her silent throat
Leaning her breast against the reedy shore,
Thus sang her first and last and sang no more
Farewell all joys, o Death, come close mine eyes:
More geese than swans now live, more fools than wise. 

The pdf file contains score and parts.
The sound sample is an electronic preview.

Madrigal by Orlando Gibbons arranged for instrumental quintet.The words of the original are:The silver swan, who living had no note,When death approachedUnlocked her silent throatLeaning her breast against the reedy shore,Thus sang her first and last and sang no moreFarewell all joys, o Death, come close mine eyes:More geese than swans now life, more fools than wise.The pdf file contains score and parts.The sound sample is an electronic preview.

SATTB A Cappella Other configurations could work.

Item Number: S0.789733

The Silver Swan by Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625), arranged for 5 cellos by Miranda Wilson. This PDF file contains the score and 5 parts.

For SSA and piano. Originally published as part of the Songbird collection As you sing, this is a beautiful and modern setting of a traditional text, popularised by Orlando Gibbons' well-known madrigal 'The silver swan'.

ISBN 9780193542099.

For SATB double choir unaccompanied. This setting of Orlando Gibbons and Catullus is a re-working of Gibbons's celebrated seventeenth-century madrigal (of the same title) for five voices. It retains the lilting depiction of the swan and the original composer's love of antiphonal effects and rich texture.