Req: Song of Farewell (Now the green leaves grow)

Subject: Now the Green Leaves Grow
From: GUEST,cfsargeant
Date: 30 Dec 07 - 03:45 PM

We used to sing this song at primary school in the fifties. Does anyone know its origin and the rest of the song. Something tells me it might be Polish or eastern European:

Now the green leaves grow,
Tomorrow I must go,
Tonight I shelter here
So that none may know

In flowers and in garlands
I am dressed today,
Tomorrow without shoe or staff
I go away.


I'm not too sure the two above verses follow each other.

Subject: RE: Does anyone know this song?
From: Waddon Pete
Date: 30 Dec 07 - 04:07 PM

Hello,

Well there is this!

http://books.google.com/books?id=4Q0-lkGn4wsC&pg=PA111&lpg=PA111&dq=%22green+leaves+grow%22+song&source=web&ots=XqE8XpUlFs&sig=G-aKPaW1SaxnOuXLSTJ2WMafVPI

But I'm not sure it is the song you are looking for!

Best wishes,

Peter

Subject: RE: Does anyone know this song? Now the green leav
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 30 Dec 07 - 04:54 PM

Where did you go to primary school? And can you remember the tune enough to describe it (major key, minor key, slow, fast, etc)? The words are fascinating, and remind me a bit of the Cornish song (no idea how old, probably very) Go Thy Ways Green Leaves - but I can't recall enough of its words to be sure. Certainly this one has a May-ish feel about it. I'd certainly like to know more -

Subject: RE: Does anyone know this song? Now the green leav
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 30 Dec 07 - 05:09 PM

The more I read the words, the more they remind me of those ancient turn-of-the-seasons themes, the cyclical dying and rebirth of the year - which is strongly embedded in a lot of British traditional songs and customs.

Subject: RE: Does anyone know this song? Now the green leav
From: Celtaddict
Date: 31 Dec 07 - 01:32 PM

Refresh. I have nothing to add but it is a tantalizing fragment and I want the search to succeed.

Subject: RE: Does anyone know this song? Now the green leav
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 31 Dec 07 - 02:30 PM

You beat me to the Refresh button, Celtaddict! I feel the same. I've been trying to find (my tatty old photocopy of) Go Thy Ways Green Leaves, for comparison, but no luck so far. I have this thread on a tracer and will post it when I do.

Guest cfsargeant, come back come back wherever you are - and let us know even roughly where you went to school - southwest of England? northeast of Scotland? Different country altogether? Where??!!!

Speaking of the turn of the year - this seems an appropriate place to wish everyone a joyous and prosperous New Year.

c[] (That's meant to be me raising a tankard of mulled wine in a toast to all - yes, I KNOW it looks like a mug of tea!)

Subject: RE: Does anyone know this song? Now the green leaves
From: GUEST,cfsargeant
Date: 31 Dec 07 - 03:35 PM

Sorry to take so long to come back.
I went to primary school in Oxfordshire in the mid to late fifties. I can remember the melody but cannot translate to a key or musical score. (I can hum it). There must have been a score though for teacher to play the piano.

My brain still says "Polish"

I seem to remember, vaguely, (perhaps the final line):

"The angels guard around me while I sleep"

Subject: RE: Does anyone know this song? Now the green leav
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 31 Dec 07 - 05:16 PM

Sorry to keep pestering you with questions, CF - I'm like a dog with a bone on this one: Usually classes of kids had a songbook of some type that they used (I went to primary school in the 50s too, but in central California so my own memories aren't going to be any help). Was there a class songbook, and if so do you have any idea at all what it might have been called?

I taught school in London briefly in the 70s and we used an excellent little series of books published by the BBC called "Singing Together" (there's a Mudcat thread about it) that contained wonderful songs from all over the world - which ties in with your association of the Polish origins. I learned as many things from those books as the kids did! I have two or three of them somewhere, languishing in the same purdah as Go Thy Ways. Is there ANY chance you might have used these books? If so there might be some way of tracing their contents... ? (Yeh, I know, there are only 736,859 volumes of them...)

Anyway, thanks for putting up such an interesting post. If the song IS Polish, the first thing I will be interested to know is whether there is any similar symbology underlying those words? It reminds me SO much of that Cornish song (at least what I can recall of it). Which I cannot find, arrrggghhhh.

Subject: RE: Does anyone know this song? Now the green leaves
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 01 Jan 08 - 05:22 AM

Bonnie

If you think it might be from Singing Together, Jon at Folkinfo posted a Singing together master index.

You might also check the School Songbook Index PermaThread

(Sorry - I haven't time to look through them just now: the dog is demanding a walk).

Mick

Subject: RE: Does anyone know this song? Now the green leaves
From: GUEST,cfsargeant
Date: 01 Jan 08 - 03:43 PM

Bonnie

Yes! "Singing Together" rings a bell and it could well be published in one of them. I see there are four copies from the fifties going on e-bay (could it be in one of those?)

Other songs that I remember singing from the school (but not necessarily the same year) were "Old Zip Coon", "Billy Boy", "Barbara Allen" and one about driving to a market on a Friday which I think was Dutch. This would suggest "Singing Together" if, as you mention, they incorporated overseas folksongs.

Thanks MCP for the index - tried 1960 & 61 (after that I went to secondary school) some familiar ones there.

Subject: RE: Does anyone know this song? Now the green leav
From: Stewart
Date: 01 Jan 08 - 04:03 PM

"and one about driving to a market on a Friday which I think was Dutch."

Could this be the market song uit Nederlands?

MIJN WAGEN – Trad. Nederlands

'k Heb mijn wagen volgeladen
Vol met oude wijven
Toen ze op de makrt kwamen
Begonnen zij to kijven
Nu neem ik al mijn levensdagen
Geen oude wifven op mijn wagen
Hop, paardje, hop

'k Heb mijn wagen volgeladen
Vol met oude mannen
Toen ze op de makrt kwamen
Ze gingen samenspannen
Nu neem ik al mijn levensdagen
Geen oude mannen op mijn wagen
Hop, paardje, hop

'k Heb mijn wagen volgeladen
Vol met jonge meisjes
Toen ze op de makrt kwamen
Zongen zij als sijsjes
Nu neem ik al mijn levensdagen
Steeds jonge meisjes op mijn wagen
Hop, paardje, hop

Cheers, S. in Seattle

Subject: RE: Does anyone know this song? Now the green leaves
From: GUEST,cfsargeant
Date: 02 Jan 08 - 11:27 AM

Stewart

Could be! "Trot, Neddy, Trot" was the last line on each verse to my memory. If that translates then yes that's the song.

Subject: RE: Does anyone know this song? Now the green leav
From: Stewart
Date: 02 Jan 08 - 01:04 PM

Mijn Wagen
literal translation

I have my wagon fully laden
Full of old wives
When they come to the market
They begin to quarrel
Now, all the days of my life I take
No old wives on my wagon.
Hop, little horse, hop.

(similarly)
.... old men
.... begin to conspire

(similarly)
.... young maidens
.... they sing as little birds
.... always young maidens on my wagon

Yes, that's the song.

Cheers, S. in Seattle

Subject: RE: Does anyone know this song? Now the green leaves
From: GUEST,QK
Date: 15 Jan 08 - 09:05 AM

Song of farewell

Now the green leaves grow,
Tomorrow I must go,
Tonight I shelter here
So that none may know

In flowers and in garlands
I am dressed today,
Tomorrow without shoe or staff
I go away.

It must be my farewell, i will not come again...


Sorry, i cant recall anymore, i 've known it over 25 yrs.

Subject: RE: Does anyone know this song? Now the green leaves
From: GUEST,cfsargeant
Date: 18 Jan 08 - 09:28 AM

Guest QK
"It must be my farewell, i will not come again..."

That's a familiar line added. My memory seems to recall it continues with a line something like:
"nor shall I leave a footprint, light, on snow or rain".

So many pieces of this song I can recall, I would really like to know it completely as we used to sing it.

Subject: RE: Does anyone know this song? Now the green leaves
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 30 Jan 08 - 06:58 AM

The following song, along with musical notation, is contained in Making Music Your Own (Volume 7) By Beatrice Landeck, Silver Burdett Co., 1964, 214.

SONG OF FAREWELL
Austrian Folk Song
Collected by Engel Lund
Arranged by Ferdinand Rauter
[English] Words by Ursula Vaughan Williams

"Now the green leaves grow, tomorrow I must go,
Today I shelter here, then none may know.
In flowers and in garlands I'm clothed today,
Tomorrow without shoe and staff I go away.
This must be my farewell. I will not come again.
Nor shall I leave a footprint light as snow or rain…"

Only "snippet view" is available with Google Book Search, but I was able to piece together several snippets to get the above information. (I reached a dead end at the end of the above quote and have no idea what comes next.)

There is some interesting information about Engel Lund here.

Subject: RE: Does anyone know this song? Now the green leaves
From: Mr Happy
Date: 30 Jan 08 - 08:19 AM

more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engel_Lund

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song of Farewell ('Now the green leaves..
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Dec 10 - 11:49 AM

"Now the green leaves grow, tomorrow I must go,
Today I shelter here, then none may know.
In flowers and in garlands I'm clothed today,
Tomorrow without shoe and staff I go away.
Amen amen the word will stand and guard around me where I sleep

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song of Farewell ('Now the green leaves..
From: GUEST,guest
Date: 18 Apr 11 - 08:08 PM

Now the green leaves grow,tomorrow I must go
Today I shelter here then none may know
In flowers and in garlands, I'm clothed today
Tomorrow without shoe or staff I go away

This must be my farewell, I will not come again
Nor shall I leave a footprint light as snow or rain,
Friends I must forget, or think of me and say,
A pater noster for me at the end of day

Amen amen amen, your words will stand and keep
Their watch and guard around me where I sleep
Amen amen amen, your words will stand and keep
Their watch and guard around me where I sleep

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song of Farewell ('Now the green leaves..
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 19 Apr 11 - 09:59 AM

thanks for posting those fine lyrics

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song of Farewell ('Now the green leaves..
From: GUEST,Aliyah
Date: 02 May 11 - 07:49 PM

Now the green leaves grow
Tomorrow I must go
Today I shelter here and none may know

In flowers and in garlands
I am clothed today
Tomorrow without shoe and staff I go away

This must be my farewell
I will not come again
Nor shall I leave a footprint light as snow or rain

Friends I must forget
O think of me and say
A pater noster for me at the end of day

Amen, amen
Your words will stand and
Guard around me where I sleep

Amen amen amen
Your words will stand and keep
Their watch and gaurd around me
Where I sleep

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song of Farewell ('Now the green leaves..
From: GUEST,Theresa
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 05:31 PM

I have searched for ages for the words from this lyric. I learnt it at school, and could only remember a few lines from it.
thank you for the posting and for the full lyrics.
t xx

Subject: ADD: Song of Farewell (Now the green leaves grow)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 07:34 PM

Building on what Jim Dixon posted above from a GoogleBooks snippet, here's the entire song in the two-part version from Silver Burdett. The songbook says this song is Austrian. Anybody have any idea what the original German lyrics are?

The following song, along with musical notation, is contained in Making Music Your Own (Volume 7) By Beatrice Landeck, Silver Burdett Co., 1964, page 214 (1971 edition).

SONG OF FAREWELL
Austrian Folk Song
Collected by Engel Lund
Arranged by Ferdinand Rauter
[English] Words by Ursula Vaughan Williams

Part 1
Now the green leaves grow, tomorrow I must go,
Today I shelter here, then none may know.
In flowers and in garlands I'm clothed today,
Tomorrow without staff I go away.
This must be my farewell. I will not come again.
Nor shall I leave a footprint light as snow or rain.
Friends I must forget, think of me and say
A Paternoster at the end of day.
Amen, amen, amen.
Your words will stand and keep
Their watch and guard around me where I sleep.
Amen, amen,
Your words will stand and keep
Their watch and guard around me where I sleep.

Part 2
Now the green leaves grow, tomorrow I must go,
Today I shelter here, then none may know.
In flowers and in garlands I'm clothed today,
Tomorrow without shoe and staff I go away.
This must be my farewell. I will not come again.
Nor shall I leave a footprint light as snow or rain.
Friends I must forget, O think of me and say
A Paternoster for me at the end of the day.
Amen, amen, amen.
Your words will stand and guard around me where I sleep.
Amen, amen, amen.
Your words will stand and keep
Their watch and guard around me where I sleep.


The source was A Second Book of Folk-Songs, by Engel Lund, published by Oxford University Press in 1961, and apparently also in earlier editions going back at least to 1936.


Anybody have the source book? Ursula Vaughan Williams (1911-2007) was Ralph's wife. She was also president of the English Folk Dance and Song Society.

This page says Ferdinand Rauter (1902-1987) was an Austrian musician who settled in London in the later 1930s. Rauter published a number of collections of folksongs in cooperation with Ursula Vaughan Williams and with Icelandic singer Engel Lund.

---

Click to play (joeweb)

Subject: RE: Req: Song of Farewell (Now the green leaves grow)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Jan 12 - 02:33 AM

Please - somebody give me the German version and put me out of my misery!!!

Subject: RE: Req: Song of Farewell (Now the green leaves grow)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 Jan 12 - 09:20 PM

I'm still looking for the German original of this song. I suppose the title would be "Abschiedslied," but I'll bet there are hundreds of songs titled "Abschiedslied," because that's the general term for "song of farewell."

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Req: Song of Farewell (Now the green leaves grow)
From: maeve
Date: 12 Feb 12 - 06:18 PM

Joe, I now have a paper copy of A Second Book of Folk Songs as well as the newish cd containing songs from both book 1 and book 2 (very enjoyable).

Do you see the song we're seeking in the following list?
***********
DISC 1:Book of Folk Songs, for voice & piano: Book 1
1 Stódum tvau í túni (Iceland) [1:14]
2 Hjuringsvisa (Herdmaid's Song) (Norway) [1:05]
3 Stev fra telemarken (Love Lament from Telemarken) (Norway) [1:36]
4 Paal paa haugen (Paul and the Hen) (Norway) [1:07]
5 Kristallen den fina (Like a Crystal so fine) (Sweden) [1:59]
6 Brudstassen (The Wedding Array) (Sweden) [1:57]
7 Stor Ola, lill' Ola (Big Ola, dear Ola) (Sweden) [0:52]
8 Lammen har jag (Lambs have I) (Sweden) [0:52]
9 Langt udi skoven (The Tree in the Forest) (Denmark) [1:21]
10 Roselil og hendes moder (Rosalil and her Mother) (Denmark) [4:02]
11 De tolv hellige ting (The twelve holy Things) (Denmark) [1:07]
12 Es isch kei söliger Stamme (No Race there is to vie) (Switzerland) [0:54]
13 Kuhreigen (Alpine Cowherd Song) (Switzerland) [0:44]
14 Es kam ein Herr zum Schloessli (To a little Castle there came a Knight) (Switzerland) [1:02]
15 Arum di Lichtelach (Around the Candles) (Yiddish) [2:09]
16 Pinchosl un Chantschele (Pinchossel and Hannah) (Yiddish) [1:27]
17 Die choissid beim bojn di suke (The pious Jew builds his Booth) (Yiddish) [1:04]
18 Ai ai, der rebe geit (Ay, ay, the Rabbi's here) (Yiddish) [1:39]
19 Sinner Man (Appalachian, USA) [3:20]
20 Counting Song (Appalachian, USA) [1:49]
21 Der schwere Traum (The heavy Dream) (Germany) [1:55]
22 Nachtwächterlied (Song of the Night Watchman) (Germany) [2:55]
23 Fünf Söhne (The Fate of the Five Sons) (Germany) [2:49]
24 Die Vogelhochzeit (The Wedding of the Birds) (Germany) [2:39]
25 Maria durch ein Dornwald ging (Sweet Mary through a Thorn Grove did go) (Germany) [1:46]

DISC 2:Book of Folk Songs, for voice & piano: Book 2
26 Nattergalen (The Nightingale) (Denmark) [1:55]
27 Det haver saa nyligen regnet (Tonight it has just stopped raining) (Denmark) [1:56]
28 Munken gaar i Enge (The Monk in the Meadow) (Denmark) [1:22]
29 Naa ska'en liten faa sova saa södt (The Cradle is ready) (Norway) [2:06]
30 Eg heiter Anne Knutsdatter (My Name is Annie Campbell) (Norway) [2:25]
31 Uti vår hage (Out in the Garden) (Sweden) [2:15]
32 Näfvervisen (The Birchbark Song) (Sweden) [1:36]
33 Litlu börnin leika sjer (Little Children run to play) (Iceland) [1:09]
34 Bi bi og blaka (Bye Bye and Hushabye) (Iceland) [1:19]
35 Di alte kasche (The old Riddle) (Yiddish) [1:16]
36 As ech wolt gehat dem Kaissres oizress (Had I all the Emperor's Riches) (Yiddish) [2:29]
37 Du solst nit gein (You shall not walk) (Yiddish) [1:09]
38 Guignolot de St. Lazot (The Feast of St. Lazarus) (France) [1:44]
39 Noël Provençal (Carol) (France) [2:02]
40 Ah, Lambert (Ah, Lambert) (Belgium) [2:00]
41 Jesuken en Janneken (Little Jesus and St. John) (Holland) [2:33]
42 Andulicko Moje (Mary Ann, my Pretty) (Czech Republic) [0:38]
43 Tenkrate Bude Victoria (Then rise to Victory) (Czech Republic) (1:23)
44 Es geht eine dunkle Wolk herein (The heavy Clouds blow up again) (Germany) [1:33]
45 Wiegenlied (Cradle Song) (Germany) [0:39]
46 Die zwei Rosen (The two Roses) (Austria) [1:01]
47 Heute bin ich rot (Today my Blood runs red) (Austria) [2:01]
48 Hold on (Kentucky, USA) [3:13]
49 The Derby Ram (England) [2:10]

Read more: http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2008/Jan08/Lund_NI581314.htm#ixzz1mDE5JJQG
*******************
Review and the above lists found here.

Subject: RE: Req: Song of Farewell (Now the green leaves grow)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 13 Feb 12 - 08:09 PM

Hi, Maeve -
Wow! I found the recording on Spotify, and it's very interesting. Unfortunately, the "Song of Farewell" doesn't seem to be there.
Where did you find the Second Book of Folk Songs? Is it worthwhile for me to track down a copy for myself?
Is the "Song of Farewell" in the second book?
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Req: Song of Farewell (Now the green leaves grow)
From: maeve
Date: 13 Feb 12 - 08:23 PM

Book 2 has the notation and lyrics w/translations as listed on cd2. No sign of "Song of Farewell". I got mine online for very little, but copies of Book 1 I've seen online are quite pricey. The arrangements are clean and simple. I love the warning printed with on the 1949 copyright:

"The copying of this work by hand in any form--on blackboard or on MS paper--is strictly forbidden..."

Joe, what gave you the impression that "The Farewell Song" was in this book?

Subject: RE: Req: Song of Farewell (Now the green leaves grow)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 13 Feb 12 - 08:46 PM

Maeve - check this post above

Subject: RE: Req: Song of Farewell (Now the green leaves grow)
From: maeve
Date: 13 Feb 12 - 08:54 PM

Yes, I had read that reference, Joe. I was hoping you had found something to confirm it.

It isn't in this 1949 edition, so I conclude there may be a different edition that includes it. On the other hand, it isn't included in the 2 cd set that is supposed to contain all of the songs from Lund's 2 books. I even went through both book and cds listening carefully to all German and Austrian songs, hoping to find it... no luck yet.

Subject: RE: Req: Song of Farewell (Now the green leaves grow)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 13 Feb 12 - 08:59 PM

How's the CD booklet, Maeve? I'm listening to the album now on Spotify and I really like it. What can you see in the CD booklet and in the songbook about the participation of Ursula Vaughan Williams in all this?

Here's the text from the Musicweb page on the CD:

Engel Lund was a singer, born in Reykjavik in 1902. She sang all over Europe and the United States before returning to Iceland for her final years and died a month before her 96^th birthday. Her particular interest was in folk song. Helped by her accompanist Ferdinand Reuter she produced a book of folk songs in the 1930s, partly to show their belief in the power of music as a beneficial influence bringing people together. The present recording is said to be its first complete recording.

Nowadays, except where the arrangements are by composers with a reputation in the wider musical world, such as Britten, Grainger or Brahms, there is some suspicion of the results when singers with "trained" voices sing folk songs, especially if the accompanying instrument is the piano. This is understandable, and it is true that the actual sound of these songs is likely to bear little resemblance to that of the "folk" from whom many of these songs were collected. But to deny ourselves the pleasure of hearing them would be foolish. Their existence does not threaten the existence of the original songs, and they are presented with such skill and sensitivity that almost all of the songs have a distinctive and interesting flavour of their own. I would not want to exaggerate their musical value, but in general Rauter's accompaniments are very carefully devised to demonstrate the individual character of each song without drawing too much attention away from the singer.

I suspect that any performance of some of these songs would be enjoyable, but Lieder Theatre London have hit on the ingenious idea of splitting them between no less than fourteen singers.All appear from the photographs and their singing to be young, and for the most part they sing songs in their own languages. The final song - the only one from England – is the exception being sung by a group of singers, only one of whom appears to have English as their first language. There are songs in the various Scandinavian languages, in Yiddish, German, French and so on. The varied sounds of the languages, especially when they are as well articulated as they are here, are a major feature here, and their wonderful mixture of flavours gives great delight in itself in these generally fresh and well projected performances. The pianists are all excellent, doing all they can to provide variety within the generally simple strophic accompaniments.

I have been unable to locate a copy of the original book, so that I am unclear as to whether the order on these discs has been altered. The recording results from a concert version first performed at the Austrian Embassy in London, and certainly even given the involvement of so many singers and pianists the sequence is clearly devised to be a coherent as a whole. I had no difficulty in listening to the two discs in succession with no sense of monotony. Various themes emerge gradually, including love, animals and death, but these are not hammered home. Instead there is a growing feeling of common concerns being raised in different ways but of a common underlying humanity. The opening sequence of Scandinavian songs demonstrates this best. The languages and cut of the tunes is clearly different and yet in a way these very differences demonstrate what they have in common. I suspect that the implicit messages these discs give to anyone listening to them with care are worth any amount of formal "diversity training". Perhaps they should be made compulsory listening in schools and, even more, by politicians.

The original texts are printed in the booklet, together with brief notes on each song and what are clearly singing translations – often very ingenious and not too far from the originals of those languages that I could follow. There are also photographs of most of the artists and of Engel Lund and Ferdinand Rauter. Curiously no timings are given of individual songs and no indication of where or when they were recorded. The total length of the two discs is little more than could have been put onto one, and many potential purchasers may wish that either a couple of songs had been omitted to do that, or that additional material had been added. One obvious candidate would have been examples of Engle Lund's own singing of these songs, recordings of which presumably do exist. I would not want to make too much of these points, however What matters is the sheer enjoyment that these discs give and the pleasure in a diversity of language which only partly conceals a common underlying humanity. A perfect present at any time of year.

John Sheppard

---

So, Maeve, does the CD have all of the songs that are in your copy of the book?
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Req: Song of Farewell (Now the green leaves grow)
From: maeve
Date: 13 Feb 12 - 09:25 PM

You can read the booklet in PDF form by searching for:

"Lieder Theatre London Engel Lund's Book of Folk Songs"

"...does the CD have all of the songs that are in your copy of the book?"
Yes, it does. Exactly those; none missing and no extras.

---

http://www.chandos.net/pdf/NI%205813.pdf

Subject: RE: Req: Song of Farewell (Now the green leaves grow)
From: maeve
Date: 15 Feb 12 - 06:53 AM

Refresh for Joe...

Subject: RE: Req: Song of Farewell (Now the green leaves grow)
From: GUEST,Aex
Date: 25 Mar 12 - 03:20 PM

This song was taught to us in elementary school in Los Angeles by Mrs. Rodich. Amazingly, I still remembered every word of this song! :) So happy to see that there are others who also remember.

Subject: RE: Req: Song of Farewell (Now the green leaves grow)
From: GUEST,Tina
Date: 18 Jul 14 - 11:32 PM

I also remember. This song keeps singing on my head from time to time :)

Subject: RE: Req: Song of Farewell (Now the green leaves grow)
From: GUEST,Catherine
Date: 24 Aug 14 - 03:49 PM

Thank you so much for this thread. We sang this in our Huntingdonshire Primary school in the summer of 1975. We sang it in two parts. It came from a yellow and red book 'Firsts and Seconds' - there were two volumes of these books - the other one was green and yellow. I found copies of both in the cupboard in the music room at my secondary school! I found a copy of one of these books here http://www.alangregory.co.uk/music/Firsts_and_Seconds_Voice_Parts_Edition_School_Songs.html?gclid=CKnnyobUrMACFUXLtAodljkAtA

I can remember that singing this song caused some sniffing amongst the parents at Prize Day at the end of term. It was a very well chosen song for a group of eleven year olds to sing, just as we left Primary school. These days, Year 6 students have 'proms' and whatnot to mark this significant point in their lives. We had 'Now the Green Leaves Grow, tomorrow I must go' and it's a very vivid memory nearly forty years on. Thank you Mrs Westcott!

Subject: RE: Req: Song of Farewell (Now the green leaves grow)
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Apr 19 - 04:40 PM

Now the green leaves grow,
Tomorrow I must go,
Tonight I shelter here
So that none may know

In flowers and in garlands
I am dressed today,
Tomorrow without shoe or staff
I go away.

Friends I must forget
but think of me
and say a Paternoster
at the end of day
Amen amen amen
your words will stand and keep
their watch and guard around me where I sleep

Subject: RE: Req: Song of Farewell (Now the green leaves grow)
From: leeneia
Date: 03 Apr 19 - 06:38 PM

Joe, I would like to hear this song, but your 'Click to Play' above doesn't work any more. Is there any chance you can post a MIDI or ABC of the melody?

Subject: RE: Req: Song of Farewell (Now the green leaves grow)
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Apr 19 - 04:57 PM

Now the green leaves grow,
Tomorrow I must go,
Today I shelter here
Then none may know

In flowers and in garlands
I am clothed today,
Tomorrow without staff
I go away.

Friends I must forget
but think of me
and say a Paternoster
at the end of day
Amen amen amen
your words will stand and keep
their watch and guard around me where I sleep
Amen amen amen
your words will stand and keep
their watch and guard around me where I sleep

Subject: RE: Req: Song of Farewell (Now the green leaves grow)
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 06 Apr 19 - 03:46 AM

I second Leeneia's request - that link now leads to something else entirely (showed me a nice picture of Trump to brighten up my morning...) so I would be grateful for either musical score notation or an audio link (I don't read ABC, always just used the dots). It could also go into the Digitrad.

Interesting to hear that it was sung in California too. We had good music at my school (which was well north of LA by a few hundred miles) but we never did this one. I still sing some of the stuff I learned there. Have they taken class singing out of the curricula altogether now? I keep reading news stories of dire music-slashing in education (which is a shame for a lot of brain-related reasons as well as artistic ones) but I'm so out of the loop that I don't know what's true and what's scare-journalism.

Pleeeeeeze somebody - give us a melody to go with this beauty!

Subject: RE: Req: Song of Farewell (Now the green leaves grow)
From: leeneia
Date: 07 Apr 19 - 12:13 AM

I've sent Joe a message, asking if he can post the MIDI again.

Subject: RE: Req: Song of Farewell (Now the green leaves grow)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 07 Apr 19 - 06:46 PM

Here it is:

Click to play (joeweb)

Subject: RE: Req: Song of Farewell (Now the green leaves grow)
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 08 Apr 19 - 04:19 AM

I can't get this one to work either! Anybody else having any luck? And if so, could they please give us the URL in plain text so we can copy-paste it?

Subject: RE: Req: Song of Farewell (Now the green leaves grow)
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 08 Apr 19 - 04:24 AM

Further info: "This can't be opened because it's from an unidentified developer." (I'd been expecting a web page, then managed to get it as a downloaded midi file). But nothing on my puter will play it. Any workaround solutions?

Subject: RE: Req: Song of Farewell (Now the green leaves grow)
From: leeneia
Date: 08 Apr 19 - 09:26 AM

Baffling! When I click, it opens a MIDI file.

I'm a little disappointed. The melody given is only eight measures long, as if it were half a song. It's in E-flat and the highest note is an E-flat - too high for me. I guess I'll change it to C.

I can print it, scan it, and send it to you as a JPG if you will send me your e-mail address via PM.

It's in two parts, and there is noticeable dissonance in them. Are you interested in the second part? And which would you prefer, C or the original E-flat?
==============
Joe, thanks for posting it.

Subject: RE: Req: Song of Farewell (Now the green leaves grow)
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 08 Apr 19 - 10:37 AM

Here's the abc from Joe's midi file. You'll have to excuse the format - I imported the midi into Musescore2, exported musicXml and used the online converter to generate the abc from xml.

Normally when I do this I tidy up the abc, but I haven't time at the moment and it should work as is. (it's fine with abcm2ps).

Mick

---

X:1
T:Title
%%scale 0.83
%%pagewidth 21.00cm
%%leftmargin 1.00cm
%%rightmargin 1.00cm
%%score 1 2
L:1/8
M:4/4
I:linebreak $
K:Eb
V:1 treble nm="Piano, Staff" snm="Pno."
V:2 treble nm="Piano, Staff-1" snm="Pno."
V:1
BBBe c3 A | AAAc B3 G |$ GGGB B2 AG | F2 B2 G2 E2 | GE_DD C2 E2 |$ F2 DF G2 E2 | D2 C2 CGFE | %7
w: By~Austrian~Folk~Song * * * * *|||||||
DC D2 E2 z B |$ BBBe c3 A | AAAc B3 G | GGGB BBAG |$ F2 B2 G2 z2 | _D2 E2 CD E2 | EC D2- DDGF |$ %14
w: |||||||
E2 =E2 GGFE | DC D2 E2 z B | BBBe c3 A |$ AAAc B3 G | GGGB B2 AG | F2 B2 G2 G2 |$ GFGE A2 E2 | %21
w: |||||||
DEFA G2 z G |$ GGGB B2 AG | F2 B2 G2 z2 | %24
w: |||
V:2
GGGE A3 G | FFFD G3 F |$ EEEG C2 C2 | D2 B,2 E3 B | BBBe c3 A |$ A2 Ac B3 G | GGGB BBAG | %7
w: Now~ the~ green~ leaves~ grow,~ to|mor row~ I~ must~ go,~ To|day~ I~ shel ter~ here,~ then~|none~ may~ know.~ *|flow ers~ and~ in~ gar *|I'm~ clothed~ to day,~ *|mo * rrow~ * with out~ staff~ I~|
F2 B2 G2 E2 |$ _D2 E2 EAGF | E2 D2 DGFE | DCGC =EGF_E |$ DCDB, E2 z2 | BBBe c3 A | AAAc B3 G |$ %14
w: go~ a way.~ *|must~ my~ well.~ * * I~|will~ come~ gain.~ * * Nor~|shall~ I~ leave~ a~ foot print~ light~ as~|snow~ * or~ * rain.~|Friends~ * I~ * must~ *|think~ of~ me~ * * A~|
GGGB BBAG | F2 B2 G2 z2 | G2 E2 A2 EE |$ D2 F2 G2 E2 | =E2 E2 F2 F2 | D2 B,2 E2 z B |$ BBBe c3 A | %21
w: Pa * ter * nos ter~ at~ the~|end~ of~ day.~|men,~ men,~ men.~ * Your~|words~ stand~ keep~ *|watch~ guard~ round~ me~|where~ I~ sleep.~ *|men,~ * a * men,~ *|
AAAc B2 E2 |$ EE=EG G2 F_E | ED/C/ DF E2 z2 | %24
w: words~ will~ stand~ and~ keep~ *|watch~ and~ guard~ a round~ me~ *|where~ * * I~ * sleep.~|

Subject: RE: Req: Song of Farewell (Now the green leaves grow)
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 08 Apr 19 - 10:41 AM

And for leeneia in C:

X:1
T:Title
%%scale 0.83
%%pagewidth 21.00cm
%%leftmargin 1.00cm
%%rightmargin 1.00cm
%%score 1 2
L:1/8
M:4/4
I:linebreak $
K:C
V:1 treble nm="Piano, Staff" snm="Pno."
V:2 treble nm="Piano, Staff-1" snm="Pno."
V:1
GGGc A3 F | FFFA G3 E |$ EEEG G2 FE | D2 G2 E2 C2 | EC_B,B, A,2 C2 |$ D2 B,D E2 C2 | %6
w: By~Austrian~Folk~Song * * * * *||||||
B,2 A,2 A,EDC | B,A, B,2 C2 z G |$ GGGc A3 F | FFFA G3 E | EEEG GGFE |$ D2 G2 E2 z2 | %12
w: ||||||
_B,2 C2 A,B, C2 | CA, B,2- B,B,ED |$ C2 ^C2 EEDC | B,A, B,2 C2 z G | GGGc A3 F |$ FFFA G3 E | %18
w: ||||||
EEEG G2 FE | D2 G2 E2 E2 |$ EDEC F2 C2 | B,CDF E2 z E |$ EEEG G2 FE | D2 G2 E2 z2 | %24
w: ||||||
V:2
EEEC F3 E | DDDB, E3 D |$ CCCE A,2 A,2 | B,2 G,2 C3 G | GGGc A3 F |$ F2 FA G3 E | EEEG GGFE | %7
w: Now~ the~ green~ leaves~ grow,~ to|mor row~ I~ must~ go,~ To|day~ I~ shel ter~ here,~ then~|none~ may~ know.~ *|flow ers~ and~ in~ gar *|I'm~ clothed~ to day,~ *|mo * rrow~ * with out~ staff~ I~|
D2 G2 E2 C2 |$ _B,2 C2 CFED | C2 B,2 B,EDC | B,A,EA, ^CED=C |$ B,A,B,G, C2 z2 | GGGc A3 F | %13
w: go~ a way.~ *|must~ my~ well.~ * * I~|will~ come~ gain.~ * * Nor~|shall~ I~ leave~ a~ foot print~ light~ as~|snow~ * or~ * rain.~|Friends~ * I~ * must~ *|
FFFA G3 E |$ EEEG GGFE | D2 G2 E2 z2 | E2 C2 F2 CC |$ B,2 D2 E2 C2 | ^C2 C2 D2 D2 | %19
w: think~ of~ me~ * * A~|Pa * ter * nos ter~ at~ the~|end~ of~ day.~|men,~ men,~ men.~ * Your~|words~ stand~ keep~ *|watch~ guard~ round~ me~|
B,2 G,2 C2 z G |$ GGGc A3 F | FFFA G2 C2 |$ CC^CE E2 D=C | CB,/A,/ B,D C2 z2 | %24
w: where~ I~ sleep.~ *|men,~ * a * men,~ *|words~ will~ stand~ and~ keep~ *|watch~ and~ guard~ a round~ me~ *|where~ * * I~ * sleep.~|

Subject: RE: Req: Song of Farewell (Now the green leaves grow)
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 08 Apr 19 - 01:04 PM

Leeneia, thanks so much! I'd love JPGs of both parts (I don't read ABC and have never used it), in C if it's convenient, but Eb is OK too. Really appreciate it.

PMing you now.

Subject: RE: Req: Song of Farewell (Now the green leaves grow)
From: leeneia
Date: 11 Apr 19 - 01:57 AM

Mike, it was kind of you to post the ABC in C, but I already have it. I'm sure your effort will be appreciated by others, though.

How did I get it? I downloaded Joe's MIDI to Noteworthy Composer and told Noteworthy to transpose it, which it did in an instant. That'a one of the beauties of MIDI software.

Subject: RE: Req: Song of Farewell (Now the green leaves grow)
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Nov 20 - 10:51 PM

I fondly remember singing this beautiful song in two-part harmony in seventh grade. Here are the complete lyrics as I remember them:

Now the green leaves grow,
Tomorrow I must go,
Today I shelter here,
That none may know.

In flowers and in garlands
I'm clothed today,
Tomorrow without shoe or staff
I go away.

This must be my farewell,
I will not come again,
Nor shall I leave a footprint
Light as snow or rain.

Friends I must forget
Will think of me and say
A pater noster
At the end of day.

Amen, amen, amen,
Those words will stand and keep
Their watch and guard around me
Where I sleep.

Amen, amen, amen,
Those words will stand and keep
Their watch and guard around me
Where I sleep.

If anyone knows the origins of this song, please let me know. Thank you.

Subject: RE: Req: Song of Farewell (Now the green leaves grow)
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Mar 21 - 03:44 PM

Thanks for these - a friend of mine just made me a recording of this, I wondered about the tune as somehow doesn’t sound English. Good though.

Subject: RE: Req: Song of Farewell (Now the green leaves grow)
From: GUEST,2 parts?
Date: 09 Jul 22 - 11:52 PM

I can’t do anything with the midi file link, any ideas? I’d love to hear both parts of the melody, I’m guessing it’s a harmony? I remember this song from music class 40 years ago, and it haunted me for about 30 years, only little bits of the words would come back to me. And old classmate finally helped me out, and I found this thread. Thanks everybody!

Subject: RE: Req: Song of Farewell (Now the green leaves grow)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 10 Jul 22 - 12:08 AM

Hi - you may have trouble with the link because I don't have the https:// security certificate for my Website, and some browsers are getting fussy about that. Email me, [e-mail], and I'll send it to you.

Or try the link and click past the warning messages.

http://www.joe-offer.com/MudcatMIDI/2019/SongOfFarewell.mid