A Canadian Boat Song, op. 10, no. 1

"A Canadian Boat Song" is the first song of Amy Marcy Beach's Songs of the Sea, op. 10. The song is a duet for soprano and baritone. The text is by Irish poet Thomas Moore.

Date: 1890Composer: Amy Marcy BeachSong Collection: Songs of the Sea, Op. 10

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Text

A Canadian Boat Song
by Thomas Moore

Written on the River St. Lawrence.

Faintly as tolls the evening chime,
Our voices keep tune and our oars keep time.
Soon as the woods on shore look dim,
We’ll sing at St. Ann’s our parting hymn.
Row, brothers, row, the stream runs fast,
The rapids are near and the daylight’s past!

Why should we yet our sail unfurl?
There is not a breath the blue wave to curl!
But when the wind blows off the shore,
Oh! sweetly we’ll rest our weary oar.
Blow, breezes, blow, the stream runs fast,
The rapids are near and the daylight’s past!

Utawas’ tide! this trembling moon
Shall see us float over thy surges soon.
Saint of this green isle! hear our prayers,
Oh, grant us cool heavens and favouring airs.
Blow, breezes, blow, the stream runs fast,
The rapids are near and the daylight’s past!

Sheet Music

"A Canadian Boat Song," Op. 10, No. 1

Composer(s): Amy Beach

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