For the Feast of the Assumption: "Come my swete, come my flower" (Geoffrey Burgon)

markfromireland at Saturday Chorale offers another lovely post today, anticipating this week's (August 15) Feast of the Assumption.  I'll just post the whole thing here, as it seems there's nothing I ought to add or take away (and I know parts of the post will be of particular interest to some of our friends!):

Just a short posting today about a piece by one of my favourite modern English composers,  Geoffrey Burgon.  (If you're new to Burgon's music you'll find all my postings on music here:  Geoffrey Burgon | Saturday Chorale). Burgon composed The Assumption in 2001 it's a deceptively simple piece of music in which each of the eminently singable four voice lines combine to produce a piece of music that greatly exceeds the sum of its parts. As well as being a lovely piece of music it shows Burgon's abiding interest in and affinity with early English texts. Pre-reformation England was famous for its devotion to the Virgin Mary. This devotion was notable from the earliest times and long predated even Abbot Ælfric of Eynsham's  sermons and the Blickling Homilies. The text 'Come my swete, come my flower' is early medieval and consists of a dialogue between Christ and his mother in which Christ calls her up to heaven and responds with eagerness and love. It's a charming setting of a charming text sung beautifully by the Wells Cathedral Choir conducted by Matthew Owens. Enjoy :-).



Video Source: Burgon - Come my swete come my flower – YouTube  Published on Aug 11, 2012 by markfromireland

Text: The Assumption Come my swete, come my flower

Come my swete, come my flower,
Come my culver, mine own bower,
Come my mother now with me,
For Heaven-queen I make thee.

My swete Son, with all my love
I come with thee to thyn above;
Where thou art now let me be,
For all my love is laid on thee.

Come my swete, come my flower …
Amen.