Description
Video:
This arrangement of an English folk song follows the words only in that there are seven verses (one for each day of the week as in the song) and the music slows to a respectfully slow pace on “wearing of her linen oh” as the lady gets ready for church on the final day, Sunday, followed by a jolly ending.
Each verse provides variations on the tune and gives each instrument a chance to play the melody in turn.
The piece modulates in each verse to various related modes and keys finally ending on the original D major.
Original words of the song:
’Twas on a Monday morning
When I beheld my darling,
She looked so neat and charming
In every high degree.
She looked so neat and nimble-o,
A-washing of her linen-o
Chorus
Dashing away with the smoothing iron,
Dashing away with the smoothing iron,
Dashing away with the smoothing iron,
She stole my heart away.
’Twas on a Tuesday morning
When I beheld my darling,
She looked so neat and charming
In every high degree.
She looked so neat and nimble-o,
A-hanging out her linen-o
Chorus
’Twas on a Wednesday morning
When I beheld my darling,
She looked so neat and charming
In every high degree.
She looked so neat and nimble-o,
A-starching of her linen-o
Chorus
’Twas on a Thursday morning
When I beheld my darling,
She looked so neat and charming
In every high degree.
She looked so neat and nimble-o,
A-ironing of her linen-o
Chorus
’Twas on a Friday morning
When I beheld my darling
She looked so neat and charming
In every high degree.
She looked so neat and nimble-o,
A-folding of her linen-o
Chorus
’Twas on a Saturday morning
When I beheld my darling,
She looked so neat and charming
In every high degree.
She looked so neat and nimble-o,
A-airing of her linen-o
Chorus
’Twas on a Sunday morning
When I beheld my darling,
She looked so neat and charming
In every high degree.
She looked so neat and nimble-o,
A-wearing of her linen-o
Chorus