Core of My Heart, My Country (set to Thaxted)

This is a new arrangement of:
"My Country" (originally titled "Core of My Heart") by Dorothea Mackellar (d. 14 January 1968)
Set to the tune of:
"Thaxted" by Gustav Holst (d. 25 May 1934)

This video is intended for all patriotic Australians to sing along to with anyone who will join in. Who knows, perhaps one day they might even make it the anthem.

No copyright violation is intended. If there is a problem in this regard, please mention it.

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*Notes on this arrangement*

Although similar, the two metres are different. Were the original poem to be set directly to the tune, the words/lyrics would fit but this would result in the tune ending half way through the iconic second verse (and the fifth too).

Therefore, so as to focus the listener upon the core theme (i.e. one's love for Australia), the following changes have been made:

1) The original first verse has been removed.
Rationale: The first verse is about England anyway and most Australians recognise the poem by the first line of the verse which was originally second, thus it makes sense to begin the song with the poem's best known line.

2) The first half of the verse which was originally fifth has been repeated throughout to form a chorus at the end of each verse of this musical arrangement.
Rationale: These lines timelessly reflect the repeated natural hardships Australians suffer generation after generation. As such, they highlight an enduring theme which Australians will be able to relate to indefinitely. Additionally, these lines could form a rousing crescendo should a conductor wish to direct an orchestra in such a manner.

3) The verse which was originally fourth has been placed second.
Rationale: If a congregation chooses to only sing two verses, this verse is the next most iconic after that now placed first. Therefore, it makes sense for it to be placed in the position where choirs will find it easiest to locate.

4) The verse which was originally last has been kept as the last verse with only the chorus added.
Rationale: It seems sensible to keep the last verse in position given how there is no reason to move it. Yet as the chorus is sung at the end of every verse, it only makes sense to end the song with it too.

5) The first half of the verse which was originally third has been spliced with the second half of the verse which was originally fifth.
Rationale: The latter half of the verse which now forms the chorus is also most dear to the hearts of many Australians yet the only way to incorporate it without repetition of any part of the original poem was by splicing it with the only remaining verse. This causes the latter part of the verse which was originally third to be dropped but, given how Mackellar published two different versions of the last line of that verse anyway, perhaps this decision may prevent debate over which version is the superior option for song.

The resulting arrangement of the words/lyrics is as follows:

(Verse 1)

I love a sunburnt country, A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges, Of droughts and flooding rains.
I love her far horizons, I love her jewèl-sea,
Her beauty and her terror — The wide brown land for me!

(Chorus)
Core of my heart, my country! Land of the Rainbow Gold,
For flood and fire and famine, She pays us back three-fold.

(Verse 2)
Core of my heart, my country! Her pitiless blue sky,
When sick at heart, around us, We see the cattle die —
But then the grey clouds gather, And we can bless again
The drumming of an army, The steady, soaking rain.

[Chorus]

(Verse 3)
The stark white ring-barked forests, All tragic to the moon,
The sapphire-misted mountains, The hot gold hush of noon.
Over the thirsty paddocks, Watch, after many days,
The filmy veil of greenness That thickens as we gaze . . .

[Chorus]

(Verse 4)
An opal-hearted country, A wilful, lavish land —
All you who have not loved her You will not understand —
Though earth holds many splendours, Wherever I may die,
I know to what brown country My homing thoughts will fly.

[Chorus]

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*Recommendations*

While all efforts have been made to make this song sound as intended, it could be improved in the following ways by someone more competent:

1) There is a pause at the end of each verse which should be eliminated so as to enhance the flow of the melody.

2) The transitions of the lyrics don't quite line up with the music. This should be corrected to aid congregational use.

3) The line which says, "The drumming of an army" would sound most excellent were it accompanied by an appropriate form of drumming, e.g. such as may be performed by a marching band.