Lyr Add: The Flowers of the Heath

Subject: Lyr Add: THE FLOWERS OF THE HEATH
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 27 Nov 98 - 01:43 AM

Will follow up with tune after the weekend. Regards, John.

The Flowers of the Heath

The violet and the primrose too
Beneath a sheltering thorny bough
In bright and lively colours blow
And cast sweet fragrance round.
Where beds of thyme in clusters lay
The heath rose opens its eyes in May
And cowslips, too, their sweets display
Upon the heathy ground.

2. Here shepherds meet at close of day
To chant their merry roundelay
And chase unhappy thought away
No discord here is found.
Harmonious notes make mountains ring
When minstrels strike the trembling string
And merry shepherds dance and sing
Upon the heathy ground.

Subject: RE: LYR&MUS ADD: The Flowers Of The Heath
From: Joe Offer
Date: 24 Jul 06 - 02:26 PM

He never did follow up, and now he's gone. In memory of John, can anybody give us more information on this beautiful song, and point us to a tune or a recording?

For me, the song captures the beauty of the heath, which hides treasures of flowers of all sorts and colors under its purple carpet.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: LYR&MUS ADD: The Flowers Of The Heath
From: GUEST,Barry T not at home
Date: 24 Jul 06 - 03:13 PM

Can't provide anything in the way of background, but I have the lyrics with midi melody over here in my old tunebook...

http://www.contemplator.com/tunebook/wales/heath.htm

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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Flowers of the Heath
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 25 Jul 06 - 11:28 PM

FLOWERS OF THE HEATH might be a translation of a Welsh song called BLODAU'R GRUG – but "Blodau'r Grug" is also the name of a famous collection of Welsh tunes, so I'm a bit confused, since I can't read Welsh.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Flowers of the Heath
From: Snuffy
Date: 26 Jul 06 - 08:14 AM

Different words, but much the same imagery and sentiments here in the DT SPRING GLEE

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Flowers of the Heath
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 26 Jul 06 - 05:51 PM

Franz Joseph Hayden made a vocal arrangement in 1803 of Blodau's Grug (The Flowers of the Heath)- H 31b/30. (Opus: van Hoboken XXXIb:30).
This is the most heard version.