Hidden in Your Heart

Lyricist. Edward Teschemacher

Publisher. G. Schirmer

Date. 1917

Key/Range. G Major (d' -- e")

COMMENTARY

Edward Teschemacher’s lyric was created to be a courtship serenade. The ultimatum that comes at the end of the first stanza giving the woman a choice between leaving and staying “a while” should be read as a euphemism for a proposal. This reading is corroborated by the fact that he borrows from scripture (“bless you and keep you”) and merges these words with a lifelong commitment reminiscent of the wedding vows. Tours uses some mildly dissonant harmonic colors among his pedal harmonies, but saves his most powerful harmonic borrowing—a dominant sonority on the degree of the minor sixth (♭VI7)—for the words “till Death comes.” While he composed many love songs, it is notable that the composer chose these three lyrics about devotion and commitment at a time when he was himself courting Helen Clarke.