Category: Vocal Music / Theater
Instrumentation: voice, guitar
Duration: 2.5 minutes
Text / Source: Words by William Shakespeare, from Twelfth Night
Publisher: Les Productions D'Oz

Come Away, Come Away Death is a song for voice and guitar from The Four Songs from Twelfth Night. The song presents a tongue-in-cheek lament from a pathetic soul in love, setting Shakespeare’s text with a mixture of melancholy, theatrical exaggeration, and gentle humor.

The song is written in two strophic verses, with the guitar introduction, interlude, and ending using the same musical material. The vocal writing is at an upper-beginning level, while the guitar part is lower-intermediate, making the piece approachable while still giving performers room for expressive timing and character.

Come Away, Come Away Death works well in vocal recitals, Shakespeare-themed programs, and theater contexts where a singer can balance mock-tragic sentiment with musical sincerity. It is especially useful for performers developing dramatic nuance, clear diction, and collaborative sensitivity with guitar.