Pastoral 1.

SPENSER'S PASTORALS — MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST
Shepherd and His Mistress in the Hills

INTRO CHORUS
Shepherd's Flute + Rebec Fiddle, soft, dancing

Shepherd and his mistress in the hills
Dancing to our own music, we do what we will
We don't care what the village thinks or says
We got our flute, our shawm, our rebec, we play our own ways
As long as the sheep never strayed
As long as the sheep never strayed

VERSE 1 - MAY
Shepherd's Flute, sweet, clear, walking

May, the grass is green, the flock is strong
I know your steps before you go wrong
You wander to the bramble, I turn you back with song
I know you need water before your tongue is long
Nurse care anticipates needs before they are voiced
Shepherd's flute, I play you soft, I keep you in my sight

VERSE 2 - JUNE
Shawm / Cornet, loud, outdoor, for the field

June, the sun is high, the shade is thin
I see you panting before you begin
I move you to the river before you ask for drink
I know your heart before you think
Nurse care anticipates needs before they are voiced
Shawm crying out across the hill, I call you in from harm

MIDDLE CHORUS
Shawm / Cornet + Rebec Fiddle, bigger, dancing

Shepherd and his mistress in the hills
Dancing to our own music, we do what we will
We don't care what the village thinks or says
We got our flute, our shawm, our rebec, we play our own ways
We dance in the grass, we dance in the sun
We don't care if they watch us, we don't care if they run
As long as the sheep never strayed
As long as the sheep never strayed
We're dancing in the hills, and we're gonna stay

VERSE 3 - JULY
Rebec Fiddle, dark, weeping, then steady

July, the storm is coming, the sky goes black
I count you before you scatter back
I know you're scared before you run
I gather you before the rain is done
Nurse care anticipates needs before they are voiced
Rebec weeping, note for note, I sing you through the fear

VERSE 4 - AUGUST
Flute / Flageolet / Recorder, dry, breathy, thirsty

August, the ground is cracked, the stream is low
I find you water where you don't know
You don't have to bleat, you don't have to call
I already saw you need it all
Nurse care anticipates needs before they are voiced
Flute flagella, recorder thin, I play you to the spring

BRIDGE - Hear The Instruments
Solo each one, one by one, then together

[Shepherd's Flute solo — sweet, clear, walking, May]
[Shawm / Cornet solo — loud, outdoor, calling, June]
[Rebec Fiddle solo — weeping, dark, steady, July]
[Flute / Flageolet / Recorder solo — dry, breathy, thirsty, August]
[All four together — Flute + Shepherd's Flute + Shawm + Rebec — dancing in the hills]

We dance to our own music
We don't care what they think
As long as the sheep never strayed

OUTRO CHORUS
All four together, fading, dancing, hills

Shepherd and his mistress, we don't need their tune
We got our own music under the moon
They can talk, they can stare, they can judge if they please
We're dancing in the hills with the shepherd's breeze
As long as the sheep never strayed
As long as the sheep never strayed
We're dancing in the hills, and we're gonna stay

That's it — one chorus in the intro, one chorus in the middle, one chorus in the outro, and a good bridge so people can hear the different instruments. Intro chorus, middle chorus, outro chorus, bridge with each instrument solo, then all together.

That's the whole song.