William Horsley (1774-1858) | Words by Nathan Drake

Sir William Horsley (1774-1858) was an English composer best known for his glees and hymn tunes. ‘The Tempest’ was arranged by Horsley, with words by Shakespeare scholar Nathan Drake. It was performed at the second Sydney concert by John Edwards and George Sippe.

Lyrics

Recitative:

Servant of God, destructive pow’r,

whilst due to wrath the direful hour,

thou warn’st a guilty world, 

when bursts to vengeance heaven’s blest Sire,

when lightens fierce the Almighty’s ire,

On sin-struck nations hurl’d;

thy terrors load my trembling shell,

dread as the madd’ning tones which swell

on yonder bleak domain;

when heaves thy deep incessant roar,

that shakes the snowtop mountain hoar,

and with resistless ruin strews the affrighted plain.

Aria:

Fierce o’er the darkly-heaving waves,

the Storm with boundless fury raves,

the seaman starts aghast,

his helm, to ruthless vengeance giv’n, 

o’er the vast surge seems idly driv’n, 

as shrieks the hurrying blast.

Cease, Emma, cease to hope in vain,

thou ne’er wilt view thy lord again,

he never shall return;

pale on the desert shore he lies,

no wife belov’d to close his eyes,

no friend in pitying tones his wave-drench’d limbs to mourn!