Travels’ End by May Folwell Holsington
O bed in my mother’s house
with sheets as white as May
With blankets wove of carded wool
and scented with new-mown hay
With the poke of the feathered down
from her snow-white plumy geese
Oh, bed of mine in my mother’s house
With sleep that was dreamy peace
Oh, far have I walked forlorn
Oh, bed that my mother made
I would that your sheet might be my shroud
And I in earth be laid.
Learn about Florence B Price here.
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Comments
Thank you Fred 🥰
The poem “Travel’s End” was written by my great-grandmother, Julia May Folwell Hoisington, 1894-1955. She frequently went by just “May,” which was misprinted “Mary” from the earliest pen-and-ink and published versions of the music, to every recording and reference to the song ever since.
There are at least two other recordings/performances available, but this is by far the best.
Hélène Lindqvist is an exquisite soprano, sensitively accompanied by Philipp Vogler.
The ink-and-pen and published versions of the music are in the key of B, and it’s possible this reflects Price’s original intent for the song to be sung by an alto (the song has a limited range with no “high” notes.) I doubt it was an arbitrary publisher’s decision, since B isn’t the easiest key for the average home pianist, and has a distinctive sound. Lindqvist & Vogler perform the song a minor third higher, in the key of D – still capturing its weary nostalgic aspect to perfection.
Thanks for the performance! The author’s name is May Folwell Hoisington (not Mary) and the poem was published in the Third Book of Modern Verse, 1927, Jesse Rittenhouse (Ed) p98.
We got our copies from Classical Vocal Reprints.
Is there sheet music for this available anywhere?
fabulous
Thank you very much!
Gorgeous song, and you sing it lusciously!