Asleep in the Deep
H. W. Petrie's 1897 bass showpiece, for 2 to 4 singers: the bass sings the tune and the words, from the stormy verse to the famous falling "Beware!", while the alto, soprano and tenor hold soft chords on "oo" above it, on Petrie's own harmony. A rolling, dramatic sea song. A stretch song: its tune runs from a low F to a high D, wider than a beginner bass's comfortable range, so take the top and bottom notes gently.
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The parts
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The first verse
Words: Arthur J. Lamb (1897)Tune: H. W. Petrie (1897)
Stormy the night and the waves roll high,Bravely the ship doth ride;Hark! while the lighthouse bell's solemn cryRings o'er the sullen tide.There on the deck see two lovers stand,Heart to heartbeating and hand in hand, Tho' death be near, she knows no fear,While at her side is one of all most dear.
About Asleep in the Deep
Asleep in the Deep is a sea song of 1897, with words by Arthur J. Lamb and music by H. W. Petrie, who wrote it for a baritone or bass voice. That is why here the bass, not the soprano, sings the tune. Its last line keeps its lowest notes for the end: it is sung twice, the second time sinking through "asleep in the deep" to a last "beware!" a whole octave below the first. Our arrangement is read from a New York printing by F. A. Mills, checked against Witmark's edition. This is the verse and the refrain for 2 to 4 singers, rolling and dramatic, the other parts holding soft chords on "oo" on Petrie's harmony.
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