Willow Song

• In Act V of Verdi's opera Otello, Desdemona reflects on the affections of Othello as she and her maid are preparing the bed. She sings a song she was taught by her mother's maid, about a woman who is betrayed by her lover. From Shakespeare's Othello:

DESDEMONA My mother had a maid call'd Barbara:
She was in love, and he she loved proved mad
And did forsake her: she had a song of 'willow;'
An old thing 'twas, but it express'd her fortune,
And she died singing it: that song to-night
Will not go from my mind; I have much to do,
But to go hang my head all at one side,
And sing it like poor Barbara. Prithee, dispatch.

• In 1863-64, Arthur Sullivan composed The Willow Song as one of a set of five Shakespeare Songs. The lyrics:

 A poor soul sat sighing by a sycamore tree,
 Sing all the green willow,
 Her hand on her bosom, her head on her knee,
 Sing willow, willow, willow.
 
 The fresh streams ran by her and murmur'd her moans,
 Her salt tears ran from her and soften'd the stones,
 Sing willow, willow, willow.
 
 Sing all a green willow must be in my garland,
 Sing willow, willow, willow.
 
 The fresh streams ran by her and murmur'd her moans,
 Her salt tears ran from her and soften'd the stones,
 Sing willow, willow, willow.
 
 Sing all a green willow must be in my garland,
 Sing willow, willow, willow.