How have I stray'd, Z 188 - Purcell, Henry

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"Although Purcell adds a bass voice in the chorus, with some independent melodic material, this song can also be performed with solo voice and continuo only."

⌛ Period → Baroque ◈ Genre / Form → Sacred songs

♯ Key C minor

⁄ Time Signature 4/4

♬ Voicing → Solo high|add=with chorus {{Cat|TB

◆ Difficulty

Intermediate

↕ Range D2 – G5

¶ Language → English

Measures 67

Texture Homophonic

Parts 3

Instruments Basso continuo

Pages 4

CPDL # 54394

Editor Raymond Nagem

Posted 2019-05-29

License Personal

♫Pitch Ranges

Soprano

C4 – G5

D2 – C4

Continuo

D2 – C4

¶Lyrics / Text

How have I stray’d! My God, where have I been, Since first I wander’d in the Maze of Sin! Lord, I have been I know not where, So intricate Youth’s Follies are; And Age hath its Lab’rinths too, Yet neither hath a wise returning Clue! Thy Look, thy Call, to me, Shall my far better Ariadne be. O most sweet dear Jesu! Hark, hark, I hear my Shepherd call away, And in a doleful accent say, “Why does my Lamb thus stray?” O blessed Voice, That prompts me to new choice! And fain, dear Shepherd, would I come, But I can find no Track To lead me back, And if I still go on, I am undone. ‘Tis thou, O Lord, must bring me home, Or show the way, For poor Souls have thousand ways to stray, Yet to return, but only one.