The Assumption

Geoffrey Burgon (1941-2010): The Assumption, Come my swete, come my flower
By markfromireland | August 11, 2012 | 0 Comments | Filed under: Choral Music
Geoffrey Burgon 150×132 Captioned 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 she 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 :-).

https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/118667982

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.