D No: 706
Text - Incipit: Creep into thy narrow bed
Text - Author or Scripture: Matthew Arnold (1822-1888)
Performing Forces: Bar, piano
Date Published: MS
Date of Composition: 1953
Notes: This melody was composed by the late Merle Thorpe, a senior vice-president of the Cities Service Oil Company. He loved to pick out tunes to words, and this poem by Matthew Arnold (1822–1888) inspired a melody that might be sung at the annual meeting of his club, the noted Bohemian Grove Club, which met in the California redwoods. His son and my close friend Day Thorpe told me that his Dad had been promised by the great baritone John Charles Thomas, also a member, that he would sing this song if a piano arrangement should be made. Day promised me a bottle of Wild Turkey if I would do it. I was unable to attend the meeting, but I am told that Thomas’ rendering of this simple song was a smash (or smashed?). Whatever, here it is. Don’t miss it. NB - vss 2 and 3 are reversed in this setting, and the poem is better for it.
Categorized as: Secular Vocal
Tagged as: piano, solo vocal