View source for Annotation:How Imperfect is Expression (1)

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{{TuneAnnotation
|f_tune_annotation_title= https://tunearch.org/wiki/Annotation:How_Imperfect_is_Expression_(1) >
|f_annotation='''HOW IMPERFECT IS EXPRESSION'''. English, Air (2/4 time). G Major (O'Farrell): C Major (Aird). Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. The popular air appears in several late 18th and early 19th century publication set as a song and as a country dance tune (sometimes with dance directions), and also appears in numerous period musicians' music manuscript collections. In one American publication it is even set as a bassoon duo! (W.W. Jones, '''The Bassoon Preceptor''', New York, c. 1807-10). A c. 1785 English song sheet gives that the tune was "Introduced by Mrs. [Frances] Abington in the Twelfth Night," indicating is use as an entre-act piece. One of the earliest printings of the air is in Longman, Lukey & Broderip's '''A Pocket Book for the German Flute''' (London, 1778). 
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The words begin:
<blockquote>
''How imperfect is expression''<br>
''Such emotions to impart,''<br>
''When we mean a soft confession,''<br>
''And yet seek to hide the heart.''<br>
''When our bosoms all complying,''<br>
''With enraptur'd tumults swell.''<br>
''And beat what broken falt'ring, dying''<br>
''Language would but cannot tell.'' <br>
</blockquote>
The song was written and composed by [[wikipedia:James Hook (composer)|James Hook]] (1746-1827), a prolific and famous organist and composer
|f_source_for_notated_version=
|f_printed_sources= Aird ('''Selection of Scotch, English, Irish and Foreign Airs, vol. 3'''), 1788; No. 530, p. 202. O'Farrell ('''Pocket Companion, vol. IV'''), 1810; p. 122. 
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