ORPHEUS BRITANNICUS

What can we poor

Females do
Z429
COMPOSD

By Mr. Henry Purcell

FOR

Soprano,
Bass (optional)
AND

A THROUGH-BASS
Copyright William F. Long, MMVIII

"What can we poor Females do"

from Orpheus Britannicus

Soprano

in a minor
bb COriginal

&

What can we,

Bass

? bb C
b
& b C

Harpsichord

Hpsi.

b
&b

? bb C

Pres-sing, Tea-sing,

? b
b

b
& b

Pres-sing, Tea-sing,

we,

Fe

? b
b

b
& b

what

? b
b

Lo - vers

sue?

What

sue?

we

poor

# n

poor,

poor

Fe - males

Fe - males

can we,

What

do; when

Lo - vers

poor,

Fe - males

males do; when

? bb

8
j
b
b

&

can we

#

.

Pres-sing, Teas-ing

poor

Pres-sing, Teas-ing

J
we

can we poor

what can

Continuo realized by W. F. Long

what

Hpsi.

What can

Henry Purcell

we,

Fine

do?

do?

William F. Long, 2008

Reproduction for non-commercial purposes permitted.

"What can we poor Females do"

b
& b .

strain 2

11

b
& b

Hpsi.

Fate

af-fords

no

o - ther

? bb

J
n

b
& b n #
or

? bb

14

or

b
& b

14

Hpsi.

? b
b

no

14

af-fords

? bb .

11

Fate

11

n
J

Com - ply - ing,

ossia

ther

.
? bb .
but

. n but.

Com - ply

ing, but

# n

way,

but

way,

but

j

j

De - ny - ing,

De - ny - ing,

De - ny - ing,

n
or

or

# n

De - ny - ing,

First Strain Again

ing,
or
j

n
De ny

n
J

Com - ply - ing;

Com

ply

ing;

Com - ply - ing;

William F. Long, 2008

Reproduction for non-commercial purposes permitted.

"What can we poor Females do"

&

17

bb

j
.

strain 3

And

? b
b

re - sent-ing,

17

b
& b

17

&

21

? b
b

Hpsi.

bb .

does

or

? bb .

b
& b

21

Hpsi.

does

ww
w

Con-sent -ing,

Re-sent-ing,

re - sent -ing,

or

Con - sent -ing,

J
a - like

? bb

our

J
a - like

? bb

and

And

ossia
21

our

or

con-sent-ing,

.
J
J

or

con-sent-ing,

End with first strain

Hopes

be - tray.

Hopes

be tray.

Hopes

be - tray.

. J

"What can we poor Females do" is on page 46 of Book II of Orpheus Britannicus. It is not associated
with any larger work. The original key is a minor. The transposition to g minor moves the vocal parts
down to a more manageable range. In a couple of spots where the bass voice might be uncomfortably
low for some singers, alternative readings have been provided. The instrumental bass is unfigured in
Orpheus.
The inclusion of the part for bass voice is curious, given the words of the song. Since the bass voice
only replicates the instrumental bass part most of the time, the low voice part can be left out entirely
without losing anything important.
As indicated, the order of the sections is strain 1-strain 2-strain 1-strain 3-strain 1. The first strain is,
in effect, the song's chorus.
William F. Long, 2008
Reproduction for non-commercial purposes permitted.