Lyr Add: My Gentle Harp

Subject: My Gentle Harp
From: Sorcha
Date: 23 Mar 00 - 02:21 PM

Hmm, I see that back in 9/99 seveal links were posted to these words, but I don't find them in the DT, so here goes.
MY GENTLE HARP, by Thomas Moore, 1770-1852

My gentle harp, once more I waken
The sweetness of thy slumb'ring strain
In tears our last farewell was taken
An now in tears we meet again.
Yet even then, while peace was singing,
Her halcyon song o'er land and sea,
Through joy and hope to others bringing,
She only brought new tears to thee.

Then who can ask for notes of pleasure,
My drooping harp, from chords like thine?
Alas, the lark's gay morning measure
As ill would suit the swan's decline.
Or how shall I, who love, who bless thee,
Invoke thy breath for freedom's strains,
When e'en the wreaths in which I dress thee,
Are sadly mixed, half flours (flowers?),half chains.
^^
Maybe written in 1798, for 2 friends who died participating in the Rising of '98?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: My Gentle Harp
From: Sorcha
Date: 23 Mar 00 - 02:22 PM

Tune is (London)Derry Air, sorry

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: My Gentle Harp
From: pastorpest
Date: 23 Mar 00 - 07:06 PM

I think that Moore wrote My Gentle Harp to another Irish Aire for which I do not know a name. It can be found in "Selections From Moore's Irish Melodies" published by Ossian Publications and still very much in print. ISBN 0 946005 38 9. I used to sing it to the Aire from County Derry when I was on my not liking "Danny Boy" kick. My voice teacher convinced me that it does not fit all that well and I went to the originial aire. There are four stanzas, which seems to me about two stanzas too wordy. The song is whittled down to two stanzas by selecting four halfs of stanzas and mixing and matching. This semi-literate computer klutz will post all the lyrics all strung out if anyone wants them.

Moore did much singing in England. Through his singing songs like this that equate the Harp with Ireland he was able to convince many English listeners to be sympathetic to the cause of Ireland and ending control and persecution.