Annotation:Sun from the East (The)

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SUN FROM THE EAST. English; Waltz, Air (3/4 time). D Major (Callaghan): C Major (Livingston). Standard tuning (fiddle). One part. “Sun from the East” appears in print in Charles and Samuel Thompson’s Choice Collection of Favorite Hunting Songs (London, 1770), as a song air. As “The sun from the east tips the mountains with gold” it appears in The Vocal Enchantress (pub. by J. Fielding, London, 1783) and on songsheets. Apparently, the song was from the opera Apollo & Daphne, where it was sung by Mr. Beard.

The sun from the east tips the mountains with gold,
And the meadows all spangled with dewdrops behold.
Hear the lark’s early matin proclaims the new day,
And the horn’s cheerful summons rebukes our delay.
With the sports of the field there’s no pleasure can vie,
While jocund we follow, follow, follow, follow, follow, follow, follow, follow, follow, follow,
Follow, follow, follow, follow, the hounds in full cry.

The melody appears in the early 19th century Thomas Hardy family manuscripts, Dorset, and in the large 1840 music manuscript collection of multi-instrumentalist John Rook (Waverton, Cumbria). It was also included in several American manuscripts of the late 18th century including flute player Henry Livingston’s (Dutchess County, N.Y.) late 18th century ms., flute player Henry Beck’s 1786 commonplace book, Micah Hawkins (New York) 1794 copybook, and George White’s (Cherry Valley, N.Y.) c. 1790-1830 commonplace book.

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: Callaghan (Hardcore English), 2007; p. 86.

Recorded sources:

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