Thou fairest proof of beauty's power - Jackson of Exeter, William

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"In his frontispiece, Jackson specified performance in the following terms: "I would just observe, that the following pieces will lose their effect, when the parts are doubled. The manner of performance that I would recommend, is by three voices singing moderately soft, and accompanied with any bass instrument that may have the effect of an accompaniment only; for nothing hurts a piece so much, as making a part principal, or even equal with others, when it was intended to be subservient. The equality of strength among the voices should also be observed; if one voice of the three be strong, and the others weak, it is necessary to soften it down, that the balance may not be destroyed; for it should always be remembered, that as no principal part was intended, there must be none produced"."

◈ Genre → Glees ♬ Voicing → ATB ¶ Language → English

Parts 3

Instruments Basso continuo

Pages 9

CPDL # 68852

Editor Christopher Shaw

Posted 2022-04-14

License Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike

¶Lyrics / Text

Thou fairest proof of beauty's pow'r, Dear idol of my panting heart, Nature points this my fatal hour! And I have lived, and we must part. Whilst now I take my last adieu, Heave thou no sigh nor shed a tear, Lest yet my half-closed eye may view On earth an object worth its care. From jealousy's tormenting strife For ever be thy bosom freed; That nothing may disturb thy life, Content I hasten to the dead. Yet when some better fated youth Shall thee to am'rous parley move, Reflect one moment on his truth, When dying thus persists to love.