Pretty Saro SATB Divisi A Cappella (Octavo)

This beautiful folk ballad from 17th century England is haunting and timeless. The lyrics tell the story of an immigrant looking for love in a new and unfamiliar land. Each of the 3 verses varies in perspective with verse 1 sung by a baritone soloist accompanied by soaring choral dissonances. The second verse, set in 4 part canon, paints the text, “And writes it by the river where the water o'er flow.” In the final verse, the Soprano solo adds an unsettled sense of agony to the text, “And when I get weary, I'll sit down and cry. And think of my Saro, Pretty Saro, my bride.”