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Text
When I am laid, am laid in earth, May my wrongs create No trouble, no trouble in thy breast; Remember me, remember me, but ah! forget my fate. Remember me, but ah! forget my fate.
- Nahum Tate (from the libretto of Dido and Aeneas)
Program Notes
Known colloquially as "Dido's Lament", this aria is cited commonly in textbooks as an example of a passacaglia, with the ground bass repeating eleven times throughout the original music. This ever-falling line compliments the hauntingly beautiful melody soaring overtop While incredibly effective, I always found the aria fairly subdued in its depiction, so my aim in this arrangement was to emphasize the emotional gamut Dido is facing – anger, despair, depression, and grief for both the lost relationship and for her own life as she decides to take it. The addition of SATB choir as well as modern piano accompaniment are an effort to illustrate these powerful emotions.
Composer Bio
Mickey McGroarty is an emerging composer based in Akron, Ohio, where he lives with his fiancée Anneliese and two cats, Twilight and Piper. McGroarty earned his Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Akron under Marie Bucoy-Calavan after obtaining his Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from the same institution. He currently teaches piano, organ, voice, choir, and fundamentals of music at Hiram College and plays piano and organ for both Church of Our Savior Episcopal in Akron and Temple Israel in Fairlawn. McGroarty’s music has been performed all over the world, from L.A. to Munich, Germany and has been commissioned by such ensembles as Cleveland Chamber Choir and Choral Arts Initiative.
This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
Nahum Tate (1652-1715)
1. When I Am Laid in Earth
(Dido's Lament from Dido and Aeneas)
Henry Purcell (1659-1695) arr. Mickey McGroarty (1996)
9 Solo S A T B B Piano cresc. may When cre my earth, am am laid, ate wrongs I no in laid oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo A Tempo Somber ( = 52) rit, Somber (=52) rit. A Tempo descresc. This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
17 22 Solo S S A A T T B B in trou ble, ble no thy trou breast laid, my may am in I earth, When am laid laid earth, I am am my When in may laid am laid in my I am laid may earth When in laid my laid am may I am When earth, 6 6 6 6 6 6 freely sim. 2 This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
28 25 Solo S S A A T T B B re Re memberme! in Re trou no ber, ble cre breast mem ble, re thy ate wrongs trou no trou re Re ble oo wrongs ble, thy no no ber, trou breast mem ate in cre in thy trou ble Re ble, no ate cre mem wrongs oo no breast ber, re trou no ble, thy in trou oo cre wrongs trou breast no ate ble 6 6 6 R.H. L.H. 3 This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
