Lyr Req: The Snow Legend (A Temple, J W Clokey)

Subject: Lyr Req: The Snow Legend
From: GUEST,murrbob
Date: 02 Dec 08 - 03:33 PM

In the mid 1940's I recall my mother singing a lovely song that I believe was called "The Snow Legend." It give an explanation of snow being the ashes of the summer, scattered by an Old Man trying to keep the fires of summer glowing. It begins (I think): "Oh ye winds that blow above me."
    If anyone knows the words and/or origin, I would love to pass it on to my grandkids -- it was a lovely song. Many thanks

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Snow Legend
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 03 Dec 08 - 05:29 PM

WorldCat lists a work described thus:

A snow legend, op. 26. S.S.A.
by Joseph W Clokey; Anna Temple
Type: Musical score; English
Publisher: [Boston] C.C. Birchard, ©1922.
OCLC: 2314147
Related Subjects: Choruses, Secular (Women's voices) with piano.

Go to that web site and it might help you find a copy in a library near you.

You might also be able to buy a copy from an online vendor of sheet-music.

Subject: ADD: The Snow Legend
From: Joe Offer
Date: 03 Dec 08 - 07:02 PM

I found this online. It's an OCR transcript, so I fixed the OCR errors as best I could guess. I don't know about the sung version - it may be a bid different.
-Joe-


A SNOW LEGEND
(Anna Temple)

O ye clouds, that float above me,
O ye winds, that round me blow,
Can ye tell me from what quarter
Comes the driving snow?

"From the north, inquiring maiden,
Where an old man, stooping low
By his grate, mourns o'er the ashes,"
Said the winds that blow.
"For the snow-flakes are the ashes
Of the summer's glow.

"See him as he stoops and shivers,
Rubs his wrinkled hands and sighs—
'Just one ember left a-glowing,
And that ember dies;
Come back, summer, come and warm me;
I am cold,' he cries.

"Then he catches up the bellows,
Tries to make the embers glow;
Only sets the ashes whirling,
Dancing high and low:
And the ashes of the summer
Are the flakes of snow."


from THE KNEELING CAMEL
and Other Poems

By
Anna Temple

COPYRIGHT, 1920, BY
MOFFAT, YARD & COMPANY

Entire book available online at archive.org

Subject: Lyr Add: A SNOW LEGEND (Anna Temple)
From: GUEST,murrbob
Date: 04 Dec 08 - 04:52 PM

My thanks to Jim and Joe on this song; never guessed it was a choral composition for women; it has a lovely melody so it should be a folk song!

The full words of the song modify the poem by Anna Temple a little bit;

O ye clouds, that float above me,
O ye winds, that round me blow,
Can ye tell me from what quarter
Comes the driving snow?
"From the north, inquiring maiden,
Where an old man, stooping low
By his grate, mourns o'er the ashes,"
Said the winds that blow.

"See him as he stoops and shivers,
Rubs his wrinkled hands and sighs
Just one ember left a-glowing,
And that ember dies.
"Come back, summer, come and warm me,
I am cold,I am cold," he cries.

Then he catches up the bellows,
Tries to make the ember glow,
Only sets the ashes whirling,
Dancing to and fro.

And the ashes of the summer,
Are the flakes, the flakes of snow;
Are the flakes of snow.