Rosamounde for treble voice and viola - Full Score PDF

​Rosamounde was written for violist Kirsten Swanson and soprano Heather Davis. The text comes from the poem "Rosamounde" by the medieval author of the Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer. The work is sung using the original Middle English text.

5 pages; duration 6'

Balade to Rosemounde (1477)

by Geoffrey Chaucer

Ma dame ye ben of al beaute shryne

As fer as cercled is the mapamonde

For as the Cristall glorious ye shyne

And lyke Ruby ben your chekys rounde

Therwyth ye ben so mery and so iocunde

That at a Reuell whan that I se you dance

It is an oynement vnto my wounde

Thoght ye to me ne do no daliance.

For thogh I wepe of teres ful a tyne

Yet may that wo myn herte nat confounde

Your semy voys That ye so small out twyne

Makyth my thoght in ioy and blys habounde

So curtaysly I go wyth loue bounde

That to my self I sey in my penaunce

Suffyseth me to loue you Rosemounde

Thogh ye to me ne do no daliaunce.

Nas neuer Pyk walwed in galauntyne

As I in loue am walwed and I wounde

For whych ful ofte I of my self deuyne

That I am trew tristam the secunde

My loue may not refreyde nor affounde

I Brenne ay in an amorouse plesaunce

Do what you lyst I wyl your thral be founde

Thogh ye to me ne do no daliance.