The Sweepers - Elgar, Edward

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"The Fringes of the Fleet, No. 4 In 1915, ''The Daily Telegraph'' commissioned Rudyard Kipling to write articles on aspects of the defense of the nation on the sea. They were subsequently published in a booklet titled “The Fringes of the Fleet”. Each section was prefaced by a short poem. In 1916 Lord Charles Beresford asked Elgar to set of some of the verses as songs. Elgar chose to set four of them as a song-cycle, originally for four men’s voices. They were quite popular and Elgar re-wrote them for mixed voices."

⌛ Period → Romantic ◈ Genre → Partsongs ♬ Voicing → SATB ¶ Language → English

Parts 4

Instruments Piano

Pages 12

CPDL # 76288

Editor David Anderson

Posted 2023-10-12

License Personal

¶Lyrics / Text

Dawn off the Foreland — the young flood making Jumbled and short and steep — Black in the hollows and bright where it's breaking— Awkward water to sweep. “Mines reported in the fairway, “Warn all traffic and detain. “Sent up ''Unity, Claribel, Assyrian, Stormcock, and Golden Gain''.” Noon off the Foreland - the first ebb making Lumpy and strong in the bight. Boom after boom, and the golf-hut shaking And the jackdaws wild with fright! “Mines located in the fairway, “Boats now working up the chain, “Sweepers - ''Unity, Claribel, Assyrian, Stormcock, and Golden Gain''.” Dusk off the Foreland - the last light going And the traffic crowding through, And five damned trawlers with their syreens blowing Heading the whole review! “Sweep completed in the fairway. “No more mines remain. “Sent back ''Unity, Claribel, Assyrian, Stormcock, and Golden Gain''.”