All the Mirth of Summer is a madrigal, written for a men's vocal ensemble or choir, TTBB or CtTTB, done in a soothing 3/2, Eb major. It was a lot of work writing the choral arrangement just right, and writing lyrics that conveyed the nostalgic feeling in an old, timeless way.

Composition, lyrics, arrangement and performance by me.

Written in: 2001
Release date: Mar 14, 2010 (this recording)

Lyrics
The lyrics are presented in a staggered form, with voices filling in sentences and complementing each other. If you listen closely to each voice, it will tell you the story in its own way.

All the mirth of summer
All the joy, the youth regale
Merry laughter silence after
The fall of evening's veil

And thus, like a velvet shadow
The night returns at last
Laughter fading, quick, evading
The memory from the past

Telling tales of innocence and youth
Telling tales of beauty and of truth
No tomorrow and no sorrow
The tales would always sooth

The eagle's triumphant hail
Has now become the song of the nightingale
For times like those, the heart does yearn
Remembrance, return!

For all the mirth of distant summer
Like a chime, echoes through the night
Does remember, faint like an ember
From yesterfire's light

See the tranquil leaves of autumn
They fall with silent grace
Reuniting, thus inviting
Night's final, soft embrace