The Swan
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1993
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A setting of an Old English riddle
for Voice and Piano
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You are welcome to download this music for perusal purposes. All copyright in the score and associated digital media rests with the composer.
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transliteration by the composer
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Hregl min swigath
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My garments fall silent
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thònne ic hrusan trède
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when I tread the earth
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òthe tha wic buye
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inhabit my dwelling
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òthe wadò dréfe
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or stir the water.
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hwilum mec ahebbath
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Sometimes I'm raised high
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òver haletha büxt
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over the homes of men
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hürste mine
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by my ornaments
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and thées hée lüft
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and the lofty air
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and mec thònne
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and then far and wide
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wide wòlcna strengu
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by the power of the clouds
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òver folc büreth;
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above the people I'm borne -
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fratwe mine
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my instruments
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swogath hlude
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resound loudly
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and swinsiath
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and melodiously,
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tòrxte singath
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splendidly sing,
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thònne ic yetenge ne béem
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when I'm not resting on
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flode and fòldan
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water or earth,
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férende gast.
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a souring spirit.
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Key to the transliteration
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a short [as English sat ] or long [as English father]
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e neutral [as English about]
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é closed [as German See]
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è open [as English egg]
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i short [as English sit] or long [as Englishweed]
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o closed [as German Sohn]
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ò open [as English hot]
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u [as English full]
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ü [German ü]
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c soft [as Englishchurch, or Italian c(i)]
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j [as English judge]
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g hard [as Italian gh]
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x [German ch]
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sh [English sh]
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th [English th] unvoiced, or voiced between vowels
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s unvoiced, or voiced between vowels
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y [English y]
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