The Moldering Vine (James P. Carrell)

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  • (Posted 2017-01-30)  CPDL #42892:       
Editor: Barry Johnston (submitted 2017-01-30).   Score information: Letter, 1 page, 79 kB   Copyright: Public Domain
Edition notes: As originally written by Carrell and published in 1821. Note heads converted to oval shape. Stanzas 1-3 from Songs of Zion, 1821; stanzas 4-5 from Social and Camp-Meeting Songs, 1822.
  • (Posted 2017-01-30)  CPDL #42888:   
Editor: Barry Johnston (submitted 2017-01-30).   Score information: 7 x 10 inches (landscape), 1 page, 63 kB   Copyright: Public Domain
Edition notes: As originally written by Carrell and published in 1821. Note heads in shape-note format (4-shape), as originally published. Stanzas 1-3 from Songs of Zion, 1821; stanzas 4-5 from Social and Camp-Meeting Songs, 1822.

General Information

Title: The Moldering Vine
First Line: Hail, ye sighing sons of sorrow
Composer: James P. Carrell
Lyricist: Selah Gridley

Number of voices: 4vv   Voicing: SATB
Genre: Sacred   Meter: 87. 87. D

Language: English
Instruments: A cappella

First published: 1821 in Songs of Zion, p. 54
Description: Words by Selah Gridley, apparently first published in 1795 in a newspaper, reprinted in a collection of his poems in 1828. This tune modified by William Hauser in The Hesperian Harp, 1848, and retitled Sons of Sorrow, in three parts. The modified version appears in The Sacred Harp, no. 332 from 1860 on; Alto part was written by S. M. Denson for the 1911 edition.

References:

  • Anonymous. 1826. Gloom of Autumn. The Casket (magazine) 1(12):388, December 1826.
  • Gridley, Selah. 1828. The Mill of the Muses. Exeter, New Hampshire: T. Gridley. (Selah Gridley died in 1826, according to Warren Steel).
  • Harrod, John J., Editor. 1822. Social and Camp-Meeting Songs for the Pious, Fourth Edition. Baltimore, Maryland: Armstrong and Plaskitt. 216 pp.

External websites:

Original text and translations

English.png English text

Social & Camp-Meeting Songs, 1822

1. Hail, ye sighing sons of sorrow,
Learn with me your certain doom
Learn with me your fate tomorrow.
Dead, perhaps laid in the tomb.
See all nature fading, dying,
Silent all things seem to mourn,
Life from vegetation flying.
Calls to mind the molding urn.

2. Lo! in yonder forest standing.
Lofty cedars how they nod,
Scenes of nature, how surprising;
Read in nature, nature's God.
While the annual frosts are cropping
Leaves and tendrils from the trees,
So our friends are yearly dropping
We are like to one of these.

3. Hollow winds about me roaring.
Noisy waters round me rise.
While I sit my fate deploring.
Tears fast streaming from my eyes.
What to me is autumn's treasure.
Since I know no earthly joy.
Long have I lost all youthful pleasure.
Time will health and youth destroy.

4. Former friends, how oft I've sought them,
Just to cheer a troubled mind.
Now they're gone like leaves of autumn,
Driven before the dreary wind.
When a few more days are wasted.
And a few more scenes are o'er,
When a few more griefs I've tasted,
I shall rise to fall no more.

5. Fast my sun of life's declining
Soon 'twill set in endless night.
But my hopes pure and reviving,
Rise to fairer worlds of light.
Cease this trembling, mourning, sighing,
Death shall burst this sullen gloom,
Then my spirit, fluttering, flying,
Shall be borne beyond the tomb.

_________________________________
Baltimore, Maryland, Fourth Edition; First Edition 1818.

 

Songs of Zion, 1821

1. Hail! ye sighing sons of sorrow,
Learn from me your certain doom;
Learn from me your fate tomorrow,
Dead, perhaps laid in your tomb!
See all nature fading, dying!
Silent all things seem to pine;
Life from vegetation flying,
Brings to mind the moldering vine.

2. See! in yonder forest standing,
Lofty cedars, how they nod!
Scenes of nature how surprising,
Read in nature nature's God.
While the annual frosts are cropping,
Leaves and tendrils from the trees,
So our friends are early drooping,
We are like to one of these.

3. Hollow winds about me roaring,
Noisy waters round me rise;
While I sit my fate deploring,
Tears fast streaming from my eyes
What to me is autumn's treasure
Since I know no earthly joy,
Long I've lost all youthful pleasure,
Time must youth and health destroy.

_____________________________
Reprinted in Southern Harmony, 1835

 

The Casket (mag.), 1(12):388, Dec. 1826

1. Hail ye sighing sons of sorrow!
View with me the autumnal gloom;
Learn from this your fate tomorrow,
Dead, perhaps laid in the tomb:
See, all nature fading, dying.
Silent, all things seem to mourn;
Life from vegetation flying,
Brings to mind our mournful urn.

2. Nations die by dread Bellona,
Through the rage of tyrant kings;
Just like plants by pale Pomona,
Fall, to rise in future springs:
Mournful scene, when vegetation,
Dies by frost, or worms devour;
Doubly mournful when a nation,
Dies, by neighboring nation's power.

3. Death and war, my mind depresses,
Autumn shows me my decay;
Brings to mind my past distresses,
Warns me of my dying day.
Autumn makes me melancholy, .
Strikes dejection thro' my soul;
While I view my former folly,
Waves of sorrow o'er me roll.

4. Do I hear the air resounding,
With expiring insects rise;
Are their moans, to me how wounding,
Emblems of my age and size.
Hollow winds about me blowing,
Noisy waters round me rise,
While I set my fate deploring,
Tears fast streaming from my eyes.

5. What to me are autumn's treasures,
Since I know no earthly joy ?
Long I've lost all youthful pleasures,
Time must youth and health destroy.
Pleasure once I fondly courted,
Shared each bliss that youth bestows;
Ah! to see how then I sported,
Now embitters all my woes.

6. Age and sorrow since have blasted
Every youthful pleasing dream;
Quivering age with youth contrasted.
Shows how short our glories seem:
As the annual frost is cropping
Leaves and tendrils from the trees.
So my friends are yearly dropping,
Thro' old age or dire disease.

7. Fast my sun of life's declining,
Soon shall set in endless night;
But my thoughts pure and refined,
Rise to future life and light.
When a few more years are ended,
When a few more springs are o'er,
When a few more griefs I've tasted,
I shall fall to rise no more.

8. Former friends, O, how I've sought them,
Just to cheer my drooping mind,
But they're gone, like leaves in autumn,
Driven before a dreary wind.
Cease this fearing, trembling, sighing,
Death shall break the sullen gloom;
Soon my spirit, fluttering, flying,
Must be borne beyond the tomb.

_____________________________
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

 

The Mill of the Muses, 1828

1. Hail ye sighing sons of sorrow;
View with me the autumnal gloom:
Learn from thence your fate tomorrow,
Dead perhaps, laid in the tomb.
See all nature fading, dying;
Silent all things seem to mourn;
Life from vegetation flying,
Brings to mind the moldering urn.

2. Oft the autumn's tempest rising,
Makes the lofty forest nod.
Scenes of nature, how surprising!
Read in nature, nature's God!
See our sovereign sole Creator,
Lives eternal in the sky,
While we mortals yield to nature,
Bloom awhile, then fade and die.

3. Nations die by dread Bellona,
Through enraged tyrannic Kings;
Just as plants by pale Pomona
Fall, to rise in future springs.
Mournful scene when vegetation,
Dies by frost, or worms devour!
Doubly mournful when a nation,
Dies by neighboring nation's power!

4. Death, like war my mind depresses,
Autumn shows me my decay,
Calls to mind my past distresses,
Warns me of my dying day.
Autumn gives me melancholy,
Strikes dejection thro' my soul,
While I mourn my former folly,
Waves of sorrow o'er me roll.

5. Lo! I hear the air resounding,
With expiring insect's cries!
Oh! their moans to me are wounding,
Emblem of my aged sighs.
Hollow winds about are roaring,
Noisy waters round me rise,
While I sit my fate deploring,
Tears fast streaming from my eyes!

6. What to me are autumn's treasures,
Since I know no earthly joy?
Long I've lost all youthful pleasures,
Time must youth and health destroy.
Pleasures once I fondly courted,
Shared each bliss that youth bestows;
But to see how then I sported,
Now embitters all my woes.

7. Age and sorrow since have blasted,
Every youthful pleasing dream!
Quivering age with youth contrasted,
Oh! how short our glories seem!
As the annual frosts are cropping
Leaves and tendrils from the trees;
So my friends are yearly dropping,
Through old age, or dire disease.

8. Former friends, O how I've sought them,
Just to cheer my drooping mind ;
But they are gone--like leaves in autumn,
Driven before the dreary wind.
When a few more years are wasted,
When a few more springs are o'er;
When a few more griefs I've tasted,
I shall fall to bloom no more.

9. Fast my sun of life declining,
Soon will set in endless night:
But my hopes pure and refining,
Rest in future life and light.
Cease this fearing, trembling, sighing;
Death will break this sullen gloom;
Soon my spirit, fluttering, flying,
Must be borne beyond the tomb.

________________________________________________
By Selah Gridley (1770-1826). Published by Timothy Gridley, Exeter, New Hampshire.