@migu music@

Assemble All Ye Maidens - Imogen Holst/English Chamber Orchestra (英国室内乐团)/The Purcell Singers/Susan Longfield

Written by：Gustav Holst

Assemble all ye maidens at the door

And all ye loves assemble far and wide

Proclaim the bridal that proclaimed before

Has been deferred to this late eventide

For on this night the bride

The days of her betrothal over

Leaves the parental hearth for evermore

To night the bride goes forth to meet her lover

Reach down the wedding vesture that has lain

Yet all unvisited the silken gown

Bring out the bracelets and the golden chain

Her dearer friends provided sere and brown

Bring out the festal crown

And set it on her forehead lightly

Though it be withered twine no wreath again

This only is the crown she can wear rightly

Cloak her in ermine for the night is cold

And wrap her warmly for the night is long

In pious hands the flaming torches hold

While her attendants chosen from among

Her faithful virgin throng

May lay her in her cedar litter

Decking her coverlet with sprigs of gold

Roses and lilies white that best befit her

Sound flute and tabor that the bridal be

Not without music nor with these alone

But let the viol lead the melody

With lesser intervals and plaintive moan

Of sinking semitone

And all in choir the virgin voices

Rest not from singing in skilled harmony

The song that aye the bridegroom's ear rejoices

Let the priests go before arrayed in white

And let the dark stoled minstrels follow slow

Next they that bear her honoured on this night

And then the maidens in a double row

Each singing soft and low

And each on high a torch upstaying

Unto her lover lead her forth with light

With music and with singing and with praying

'Twas at this sheltering hour he nightly came

And found her trusty window open wide

And knew the signal of the timorous flame

That long the restless curtain would not hide

Her form that stood beside

As scarce she dared to be delighted

Listening to that sweet tale that is no shame

To faithful lovers that their hearts have plighted

But now for many days the dewy grass

Has shown no markings of his feet at morn

And watching she has seen no shadow pass

The moonlit walk and heard no music borne

Upon her ear forlorn

In vain she has looked out to greet him

He has not come he will not come alas

So let us bear her out where she must meet him

Now to the river bank the priests are come

The bark is ready to receive its freight

Let some prepare her place therein and some

Embark the litter with its slender weight

The rest stand by in state

And sing her a safe passage over

While she is oared across to her new home

Into the arms of her expectant lover

And thou o lover that art on the watch

Where on the banks of the forgetful streams

The pale indifferent ghosts wander and snatch

The sweeter moments of their broken dreams

Thou when the torchlight gleams

When thou shalt see the slow procession

And when thine ears the fitful music catch

Rejoice for thou art near to thy possession