Saturday, April 24, 2010

Brightly Dawns our (Daughter's) Wedding Day

No blogging this weekend -- please share our happiness, expressed in this little gem of a madrigal by Sir Arthur Sullivan. The mock sadness in the libretto stems from the 30-day sentence of execution seeming to hang over the groom's head -- but all turns out well by the operetta's end, never worry. As for us, we join in its opening sentiment: "Joyous hour, we give thee greeting!"









Yum-Yum.
Brightly dawns our wedding day;
All.
Joyous hour, we give thee greeting!
Whither, whither art thou fleeting?
Fickle moment, prithee stay!
Fickle moment, prithee stay!
Pish-Tush.
What though mortal joys be hollow?
Pitti-Sing.
Pleasures come, if sorrows follow:

Yum-Yum.Pitti-Sing.Nanki-Poo.Pish-Tush.
Though the tocsin sound,Though the tocsin sound,Though the tocsin sound,Though the tocsin sound,
ere long,ere long,ere long,ere long,
Dingere long,Ding
Though the tocsin sound,dong! Ding dong!Though the tocsindong! Ding dong! Ding
ere long,Dingsound, ere
Though the tocsin sound,dong! Ding dong!long, sound, ere long.dong! Ding dong!
ere long,
Ding dong!Ding dong!Ding dong!Ding dong!
Ding dong!Ding dong!Ding dong!Ding dong!

All.
Yet until the shadows fall
Over one and over all,
Yum-Yum.
Sing a merry madrigal,
All.
Sing a merry madrigal,
Sing a merry madrigal,
Fa la la la la, etc.
(Ending in tears.)

Yum-Yum.
Let us dry the ready tear,
All.
Though the hours are surely creeping
Little need for woeful weeping,
Till the sad sundown is near,
Till the sad sundown is near.
Pish-Tush.
All must sip the cup of sorrow —
Pitti-Sing.
I to-day and thou to-morrow;

Yum-Yum.Pitti-Sing.Nanki-Poo.Pish-Tush.
This the close ofThis the close ofThis the close ofThis the close of
every song —every song —every,every song —
Dingevery song —Ding
This the close ofdong! Ding dong!This the close ofdong! Ding dong! Ding
every song —Dingevery song,
This the close ofdong! Ding dong!this the close.dong! Ding dong!
every song —
Ding dong!Ding dong!Ding dong!Ding dong!
Ding dong!Ding dong!Ding dong!Ding dong!

All.
What, though solemn shadows fall,
Sooner, later, over all?
Yum-Yum.
Sing a merry madrigal,
All.
Sing a merry madrigal,
Sing a merry madrigal,
Fa la la la la, etc.
(Ending in tears.)

Exeunt Pitti-Sing and Pish-Tush.


3 comments:

  1. For he's going to marry Yum Yum?

    Congrats from the chorus!

    ReplyDelete
  2. May your daughter and her husband have a most blessed, glorious, and long life together.

    Best wishes to all.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Congrats!! Hope the wedding went well. May they have many happy years together as husband and wife.

    ReplyDelete