Annotation:While gazing on the moonlight

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WHILE GAZING ON THE MOONLIGHT (Ag amairc air solas na re). AKA and see "Oonagh." Irish, Air (6/8 time, "animated"). D Minor. Standard tuning (fiddle). One part. "While gazing on the moon's light" is the name of a song by popular Irish songwriter Thomas Moore [1] (1779-1852), for which the indicated tune is "Oonagh."

While gazing on the moon's light,
A moment from her smile I turn'd,
To look at orbs, that, more bright,
In lone and distant glory burn'd.
But too far
Each proud star,
For me to feel its warming flame;
Much more dear
That mild sphere,
Which near our planet smiling came;--
Thus, Mary, be but thou my own;
While brighter eyes unheeded play,
I'll love those moonlight looks alone,
That bless my home and guide my way.

George Villiers Stanford, in his notes [2] to Moore's songs in his 1895 edition of Irish Melodies, says:

I have been unable to find the original form of this air, and have left it as Moore transcribed it; although some of the chromatic passages seem foreign to the character of Irish Music, they are sufficiently pretty in themselves to atone for their own delinquencies.

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 283, p. 49.

Recorded sources:

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