The Influence of Western Melodies in Rabindranath's Compositions - Part IV

Go Where Glory Waits Thee

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Lyrics of Go Where Glory Waits Thee - Thomas Moore
Go where glory waits thee,
But while fame elates thee,
Oh! still remember me.
When the praise thou meetest
To thine ear is sweetest,
Oh! then remember me.
Other arms may press thee,
Dearer friends caress thee,
All the joys that bless thee,
Sweeter far may be;
But when friends are nearest,
And when joys are dearest,
Oh! then remember me!

When, at eve, thou rovest
By the star thou lovest,
Oh! then remember me.
Think, when home returning,
Bright we've seen it burning,
Oh! thus remember me.
Oft as summer closes,
When thine eye reposes
On its lingering roses,
Once so loved by thee,
Think of her who wove them,
Her who made thee love them,
Oh! then remember me.

When, around thee dying,
Autumn leaves are lying,
Oh! then remember me.
And, at night, when gazing
On the gay hearth blazing,
Oh! still remember me.
Then should music, stealing
All the soul of feeling,
To thy heart appealing,
Draw one tear from thee;
Then let memory bring thee
Strains I used to sing thee, --
Oh! then remember me.

The Vicar of Bray.
This has been discussed in detail in a previous post. You will find a melodious rendition of the song here

Nancy Lee


Here is the song by Peter Dawson




A beutiful rendition of the song played on organ can be found here

Lyrics of Nancy Lee

The music to Nancy Lee was written by Michael Maybrick, who published under the name Stephen Adams. He was born in Liverpool in 1844. He completed his music studies there and moved to Leipzig and Milan to study further. He became a well known baritone singer. His first appearance was in the New Philharmonic Concerts in London in 1870. His tunes were popular in both England and America.
Nancy Lee was one of Maybrick's first compositions. It was so popular that within two years over one hundred thousand copies had been sold.

The words was written by Frederick E. Weatherly (1848-1929). Weatherly was born in Somersetshire in 1848 and graduated from Oxford in 1871. He practiced law thereafter, but also wrote more that fifty children's books and wrote several tunes with Maybrick.

Of all the wives as e'er you know,
Yeo ho! lads, ho! Yeo ho! Yeo ho!
There's none like Nancy Lee, I trow,
Yeo ho! Yeo ho! Yeo ho!
See there she stands and waves her hands
Upon the quay, and every day
When I'm away she'll watch for me,
And whisper low when tempests blow,
For Jack at sea,
Yeo ho! lads, ho! Yeo ho!

Chorus
The sailor's wife the sailor's star shall be,
Yeo ho! We go across the sea;
The sailor's wife the sailor's star shall be,
The sailor's wife his star shall be!

The harbor's past, the breezes blow,
Yeo ho! lads, ho! Yeo ho! Yeo ho!
'Tis long ere we come back, I know,
Yeo ho! Yeo ho! Yeo ho!
But true and bright from morn till night
My home will be, and all so neat,
And snug and sweet, for Jack at sea;
And Nancy's face to bless the place,
And welcome me;
Yeo ho! lads, ho! Yeo ho!

Chorus

The bosun pipes the watch below,
Yeo ho! lads, ho! Yeo ho! Yeo ho!
Then here's a health afore we go,
Yeo ho! Yeo ho! Yeo ho!
A long, long life to my sweet wife,
And mates at sea, and keep our bones
From Davy Jones, where-e'er we be,
And may you meet a mate as sweet
As Nancy Lee.
Yeo ho! lads, ho! Yeo ho!

Chorus

The British Grenadiers

This has been discussed in detail in a previous post. You can find below a performance by Texas Saxophone Quartet

The British Grenadiers – Texas Saxophone Quartet

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Ye Banks and Braes

You can find an orchestral rendition here



After the musical rendition here is the song being sung




Lyrics of Ye Banks and Braes

Ye banks and braes o' bonnie Doon,
How can ye bloom sae fresh and fair?
How can ye chant, ye little birds,
And I sae weary, fu' o' care!
Thou'll break my heart, thou warbling bird,
That wantons thro' the flowering thorn!
Thou minds me o' departed joys,
Departed, never to return.
Aft hae I rov'd by bonnie Doon
To see the rose and woodbine twine;
And ilka bird sang o' its luve,
And fondly sae did I o' mine;
Wi' lightsome heart I pu'd a rose,
Fu' sweet upon its thorny tree!
And my fause luver stole my rose -
But, ah! he left the thorn wi' me.

Meaning of unusual words:
braes=hillsides
ilka=every

Robin Adair

Here are three musical renditions of this beautiful song, two of the records are quite old

Robin Adair 1




Robin Adair 2



Robin Adair 3



And now you can find the actual song



Lyrics of Robin Adair

by Lady Caroline Keppel

What`s this dull town to me
Robin`s not near
What was`t I wish`d to see
What wish`d to hear
Where all the joy and mirth
Made this town heaven on earth
Oh, they`re all fled with thee
Robin Adair
What made th` assembly shine
Robin Adair
What made the ball sae fine
Robin was there
What when the play was o`er
What made my heart so sore
Oh, it was parting with
Robin Adair
But now thou`rt cold to me
Robin Adair
But now thou`rt cold to me
Robin Adair
Yet he I loved so well
Still in my heart shall dwell
Oh, I can ne`er forget
Robin Adair

The Influence of Western Melodies in Rabindranath's Compositions - Part III

Western music and melodies which inspired Rabindranath Tagore

We have been discussing the influence of western music on the compositions of Rabindranath Tagore. It was there because he had not only listened to these melodies during his childhood days, but also studied various forms of European music during his visits to England and the continent. In his own words, “At seventeen, when I first came to Europe, I came to know it intimately, but even before that time I had heard European music in our household. I had heard the music of Chopin and others at an early age. As a young boy, I heard European music being played on the piano; much of it I found attractive, but I could not enter fully into the spirit of the thing. I first heard European songs when I was 17 years old during my first visit to London. The artiste was Madame Nilsson, who had a great reputation in those days”.
From his letters of those days, it is known that he had often danced ‘Gallop’ and ‘Lancers’ in association with instruments like piano, violin etc during evening parties and fancy balls. In his autography (Jeevansmriti) he has written, “When I was in Brighton, I once went to hear the song of a famous singer in the institution for music there. I am failing to recollect her name. She might be either Madame Nilsson or Madame Albany. I have never heard such wonderful power of voice”.
In his autobiography he further writes that during his stay in London at Mrs. Scott’s residence, he had practiced Irish Meldiz and learnt some of them. His practice bore fruits and he could gather appreciation for his high pitched singing (Tarsaptak or Tenor) of the popular English numbers those days.
Many people think that these Bengali songs were oriented on the original western melodies only as a mark of influence. But Rabindra thinkers and researchers have a different opinion. Due to paucity of songs in this category and the fact that Gurudev did not compose such songs after he was past his 20s, it can be concluded that he, in the meanwhile, found out songs and music which inspired him throughout his life. Moreover, as the breakaway songs were born out of exact imitations from the point of view of tunes, there was no enthusiasm left in Tagore's mind to compose songs this way any further. The real influence of European music is, therefore, found elsewhere. This influence can be seen from the time of composition of these musical dance dramas till the last days of his life and have been expressed in different dimensions of Rabindrasangeet, thus giving rise to a coordinated trend.
Below is a list of English and European songs and melodies that Rabindranath learnt well during his stay in England.

1. Won't you tell me Mollie Darling
2. Silver Threads Among The Gold (Darling I am growing old)
3. Good Bye, Sweetheart, Good Bye
4. Then you will remember me
5. In the gloaming
6. Sleep on Beloved Good Night, Good Night
7. Go where glory waits thee
8. The Vicar of Bray
9. Of all the wives as e'er (Nancy Lee)
10. The British Grenadiers
11. Ye Banks and Braes
12. Robin Adair
13. If
14. Drink to me with only thine eyes
15. Ave Maria
16. Serenade
17. Messe Solennelle
18. Faust
19. Funeral March
20. Galops
21. Parsifal

These are the songs and compositions with which Rabindranath was well versed with and used to sing and play effortlessly.

Below are some short compositions by Charles Gounod on piano, organ and other instruments and it is possible that Rabindranath derived inspiration from these musical pieces

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Molly Darling - Will Oakland Original

You can hear the song here




This is the newer version of the same song by Hank Snow. See how that it has evolved over time. You can find it here





Lyrics of Molly Darling

Won't you tell me Molly darling
that you love none else but me
For I love you Molly darling
you are all the world to me
Oh tell me darling that you love me
put your little hand in mine
Take my heart sweet Molly darling
say that you'll give me thine
Stars are smiling Molly darling
through a mystique veil of night
They seem laughing Molly darling
while they seem to hide their light
Oh no one listens but the flowers
while they hang their heads in shame
They are modest Molly darling
When they hear me call your name
Molly there is sweetest dearest
look up darling tell me this
Do you love me Molly darling
let your answer be a kiss


Silver Threads Among The Gold - Will Oakland (Darling I am growing Old)

You can find the song here




Lyrics of Siver Threads Among the Gold (Darling I am Growing Old)

Darling, I am growing old,
Silver threads among the gold,
Shine upon my brow today,
Life is fading fast away;
But, my darling, you will be, will be,
Always young and fair to me,
Yes, my darling, you will be,
Always young and fair to me.
Darling, I am growing, growing old,
Silver threads among the gold,
Shine upon my brow today,
Life is fading fast away.

Good Bye Sweetheart Good Bye



Then You Will Remember Me



In the Gloaming



Lyrics of In The Gloaming

In the gloaming, oh my darling,
when the lights are soft and low
and the quiet shadows falling
softly come and softly go..

When the trees are sobbing faintly
with a gentle unknown woe,
will you think of me and love me,
as you did once long ago..?

In the gloaming, oh my darling,
think not bitterly of me.
Though I passed away in silence
left you lonely, set you free..

For my heart was tossed with longing,
what had been could never be.
It was best to leave you, thus, dear,
best for you and best for me..

In the gloaming, oh my darling,
when the lights are soft and low,
will you think of me and love me,
as you did once long ago..?



Sleep on Beloved




Lyrics of Sleep On Beloved

Sleep on beloved sleep and take thy rest
Lay down thy head upon thy Saviour's breast
We love thee well but Jesus loves thee best
Goodnight, goodnight, goodnight

Until our shadows from this earth are cast
Until He gathers in His sheaves at last
Until the twilight gloom is over past
Goodnight, goodnight, goodnight

Until made beautiful by love divine
Thou in the likeness of thy Lord shalt shine
And He will bring that golden crown of thine
Goodnight, goodnight, goodnight

Until we meet again before the throne
Clothed in the spotless robes He gives His own
Until we know as we have known
Goodnight, goodnight, goodnight

Continued......