Britten: Serenade for tenor, horn & strings, Op. 31 - Hymn - Peter Pears, Dennis Brain, New Symphony Orchestra

Queen and huntress, chaste and fair

Now the sun is laid to sleep

Seated in thy silver chair

State in wonted manner keep:

Hesperus entreats thy light

Hesperus entreats thy light

Goddess, goddess excellently bright

Earth, let not thy envious shade

Dare itself to interpose;

Cynthia’s shining orb was made

Heav’n to clear when day did close:

Bless us then with wishèd sight

Bless us then with wishèd sight

Goddess excellently bright

Lay thy bow of pearl apart

And thy crystal shining quiver;

Give unto the flying hart

Space to breathe, how short so-ever:

Thou that mak’st a day of night

Thou that mak’st a day of night

Thou that mak’st

Goddess, goddess, goddess, goddess excellently bright