“Spring” (from The Seasons)
TEXT

See Winters, Stern and Gloomy, Flees

Simon
See Winter, stern and gloomy, flees
To farthest reaches of the north.
And foll’wing at his beck,
His blust’ry ruffians quit the vales,
With dreadful groans and howling.

Lucas
From tow’ring crags the melting snows
In slushy torrents swiftly roll.

Hannah
And lo! from southern shores
Breathe softest zephyrs, warm and mild,
Sweet messengers of Spring!

Come, Gentle Spring!

Chorus
Come, gentle Spring!
Thou gift of Heaven, come!
From frozen wint’ry grave, bid drowsy Nature rise!

The smiling Spring is almost here,
The linden blossom soon will cheer,
And all will burst to life again.

Take heed! Do not rejoice so soon,
For creeping mists and freezing fogs abound,
And Winter oft returns to spread o’er shoots and buds,
A deadly, malicious frost.

Come gentle Spring!
Thou gift of Heaven, come!
Descend upon our verdant plains.
O come, gentle Spring,
Make haste, do not delay!

From Aries Shines the Bright’ning Sun

Simon
From Aries shines the bright’ning sun, o’er all the world below.
Now cold and dampness yield to kindly breezes, warm and mild.
The frozen earth breaks free once more, and radiant is the firmament above.

With Eagerness the Countryman Sets Forth

Simon
With eagerness the countryman sets forth to till the soil,
Through furrows long he whistling strides, and tunes a cheerful lay.
With measur’d gait and careful tread he scatters wide the seed,
And prays the faithful soil will bear, in time, a golden crop.

The Countryman Has Paid His Dues

Lucas
The countryman has paid his dues;
No care nor labour has he spared,
So gen’rous Nature will his diligence reward,
And thus to Heav’n he turns his humble pray’rs.

Heav’n be Gracious, Heav’n be Bounteous

Hannah, Lucas, Simon & Chorus
Heav’n be gracious, Heav’n be bounteous.
Open thou, and pour thy blessings o’er our fertile plains below.
Let glist’ning dews revive our pastures!
Let show’rs of rain refresh our meadows!
Let softest breezes warm the air,
And let the sun shine purest rays!
For these abundant gifts we pray, and for thy bounty, thanks be giv’n.

Our Fervent Pray’rs are Heard

Hannah
Our fervent pray’rs are heard;
A warming breeze arises
And fills the sky with downy billows.
They rise aloft, they tumble down,
And pour their riches o’er the earth,
The pride and joy of Nature fair.

O What Charming Sights Delight Us

Hannah, Lucas, Simon & Chorus
O what charming sights delight us in the prospect fair.
Come ye maidens, let us wander through the flow’ry vales.

O what charming sights delight us in the prospect fair.
Come ye fellows, let us wander ’midst the meadows green.

See the lilies, see the roses, see the flowers all!
See the farmland, see the bowers, see the pastures all!
O what charming sights delight us in the prospect fair.

See the landscape, see the waters, see the glitt’ring sky!
All is stirring, all is quiv’ring, hark how lively Nature wakes!

See the newborn lambs are gamb’lling,
See the shoals of fish are swimming,
See the swarms of bees are buzzing,
See the flocks of birds are flutt’ring,

All is stirring, all is quiv’ring, hark how lively Nature wakes!
O what pleasures, O what wonders fill our gladden’d hearts.
Sweetest yearnings, gentlest longings soon arise within our breasts.

Ev’ry feeling, ev’ry passion is the mighty Creator’s will.

Let us honour, let us worship, let us laud Him, let us praise His name.
Let our voices hymn His glory and resound on high!
Wonderful, bountiful, infinite God.

With Thine abundant blessings, mankind hast Thou reviv’d.
With Thine o’erflowing goodness, mankind hast Thou refresh’d.

Hymns of praise we sing to Thee,
Wonderful, bountiful, infinite God.
                    Gottfried van Swieten (1733-1803) & Paul McCreesh