Daffodils – Sheet Music

In 2020, during the first Covid 19 lockdown, I looked forward to taking long walks and seeing the signs of Spring, and I was struck afresh by the hopeful symbolism of daffodils. The words of William Wordsworth’s poem, “I Wondered Lonely as a Cloud”, kept coming to mind. I couldn’t resist singing them!

Initially a song took shape with a guitar accompaniment. I subsequently wrote a harp accompaniment and a part for cello. Next, I made a home recording, singing the melody and a few accompanying vocals myself, then playing cello along with the voices and harp accompaniment – an audio file generated by my composing software.

In this 2022 version of the song for upper voices, the 4-part vocal writing draws on some of the original vocal harmonies, as well the cello line. The tune is essentially the same as the original. The harp accompaniment is replaced by a piano accompaniment, and I hope that piano accompanists will enjoy the walking waltz and dance motifs that paint the words.

This setting of Wordsworth’s poem has been on a long journey, and along the way, I have altered a few words. I hope that fans of Wordsworth’s poem will forgive me.

The song structure is AABA, in which the 2nd and 4th verse grow the tune and accompanying harmony of the 1st verse in response to the words and images. The 3rd verse is a “middle eight”. The accompanying parts here could be described as the “yellow haze” of a crowd of daffodils as seen from a distance, supporting the tune sung in soprano 1.

The song requires good articulation and expressive singing from all the vocal parts and particularly good listening in the more rhythmically varied 3rd verse.

P.S. If you are fortunate enough to know a harpist, do get in touch and I shall send you a harp part!  Equally, if you’re struggling for an accompanist, a backing track is available for download from the button below.

  Click for Learning Tracks

  Click for Backing Track