Please note that music files that are linked to are not necessarily the same edition we will be using on the night and therefore there may be some slight differences.
Farrant Lord, for thy tender mercy’s sake SATB
This perfect short anthem might be by Richard Farrant (1525-1580), to whom it is usually attributed, or might be by John Hilton, who probably added the exquisite Amens.
Byrd Though Amaryllis dance in green or YouTube link Also in the Oxford Book of English Madrigals SSATB
This pastoral, freely alternating between 6/4 and a hemiola-like 3/2, comes from the 1588 collection of adapted consort songs Psalmes, Sonets and Songs of Sadnes and Pietie, a collection mostly of religious music but which did also contain some secular pieces. It is a cautionary tale of love and marriage set as a riotous dance to a light but intricate five-part texture, possibly echoing intense public interest in Queen Elizabeth’s various unsuccessful suitors. Despite temptation, the poet resolves at the end of each verse ‘chill love no more’.
Byrd showed little interest in madrigals but was one of two composers, along with Gibbons, who developed the English consort song in its place; it has been suggested that the pastorals may also be an oblique reference to the tendency for many Catholic families to live in the privacy of country houses rather than at court. Many of Byrd’s secular vocal works were originally intended as consort songs in which the top voice is the ‘first singing part’ and the others are played by viols, though words are underlaid in such a way that they can be sung too. His settings are normally strophic, sectional and simple with very little if any text repetition. The lower voices are generally imitative whilst the upper voice carries the text and is syllabic and rhythmically comparatively simple.
Hilton Fair Oriana, beauty’s queen SSATB
This is from the Triumphs of Oriana, Thomas Morley’s 1601 anthology in praise of (it is thought) Queen Elizabeth – although there are long and short versions of that story... Either way is an intricate and delightful short piece, with the usual pastoral references to fauns and shepherds and some lovely depiction of their dances.
Wilbye (1574-1638) was a prolific composer of English madrigals. His style is characterized by delicate voice-writing, acute sensitivity to text and language, a seriousness of approach and a subtlety of musical ideas. He spent much of his life employed as resident musician for a wealthy family of arts patrons in Suffolk, and most of his compositional output is madrigalian. We are looking at three of his madrigals tonight.
Alas, what hope of speeding SATB
This emotional setting of the text comes from the composer’s first set of madrigals of 1598.
Flora gave me fairest flowers or YouTube link SATB
A lovely simple canzonet (lighter form of madrigal) depicting life in Arcadia.
Draw on, sweet night or YouTube link Also in the Oxford Book of English Madrigals SSATTB
This gem of a piece, characterised by a wistful melancholy, is a great favourite of ours and has often been requested ever since its introduction to our repertory a couple of years ago, so I make no apology for including it again! It is one of the longest and possibly greatest of all the English madrigals, with a notable musical concision. Almost every phrase in the piece can be related to the first four-note motif sung by the sopranos; even My life so ill, which appears to be new, is the original melody ‘upside-down’. An unusual and remarkable aspect of the piece is that the text gives almost no opportunity for word-painting, yet this abstraction seems to increase the sense of grief.
Please note that music files that are linked to are not necessarily the same edition we will be using on the night and therefore there may be some slight differences.
Farrant Lord, for thy tender mercy’s sake SATB
This perfect short anthem might be by Richard Farrant (1525-1580), to whom it is usually attributed, or might be by John Hilton, who probably added the exquisite Amens.
Byrd Though Amaryllis dance in green or YouTube link Also in the Oxford Book of English Madrigals SSATB
This pastoral, freely alternating between 6/4 and a hemiola-like 3/2, comes from the 1588 collection of adapted consort songs Psalmes, Sonets and Songs of Sadnes and Pietie, a collection mostly of religious music but which did also contain some secular pieces. It is a cautionary tale of love and marriage set as a riotous dance to a light but intricate five-part texture, possibly echoing intense public interest in Queen Elizabeth’s various unsuccessful suitors. Despite temptation, the poet resolves at the end of each verse ‘chill love no more’.
Byrd showed little interest in madrigals but was one of two composers, along with Gibbons, who developed the English consort song in its place; it has been suggested that the pastorals may also be an oblique reference to the tendency for many Catholic families to live in the privacy of country houses rather than at court. Many of Byrd’s secular vocal works were originally intended as consort songs in which the top voice is the ‘first singing part’ and the others are played by viols, though words are underlaid in such a way that they can be sung too. His settings are normally strophic, sectional and simple with very little if any text repetition. The lower voices are generally imitative whilst the upper voice carries the text and is syllabic and rhythmically comparatively simple.
Hilton Fair Oriana, beauty’s queen SSATB
This is from the Triumphs of Oriana, Thomas Morley’s 1601 anthology in praise of (it is thought) Queen Elizabeth – although there are long and short versions of that story... Either way is an intricate and delightful short piece, with the usual pastoral references to fauns and shepherds and some lovely depiction of their dances.
Wilbye (1574-1638) was a prolific composer of English madrigals. His style is characterized by delicate voice-writing, acute sensitivity to text and language, a seriousness of approach and a subtlety of musical ideas. He spent much of his life employed as resident musician for a wealthy family of arts patrons in Suffolk, and most of his compositional output is madrigalian. We are looking at three of his madrigals tonight.
Alas, what hope of speeding SATB
This emotional setting of the text comes from the composer’s first set of madrigals of 1598.
Flora gave me fairest flowers or YouTube link SATB
A lovely simple canzonet (lighter form of madrigal) depicting life in Arcadia.
Draw on, sweet night or YouTube link Also in the Oxford Book of English Madrigals SSATTB
This gem of a piece, characterised by a wistful melancholy, is a great favourite of ours and has often been requested ever since its introduction to our repertory a couple of years ago, so I make no apology for including it again! It is one of the longest and possibly greatest of all the English madrigals, with a notable musical concision. Almost every phrase in the piece can be related to the first four-note motif sung by the sopranos; even My life so ill, which appears to be new, is the original melody ‘upside-down’. An unusual and remarkable aspect of the piece is that the text gives almost no opportunity for word-painting, yet this abstraction seems to increase the sense of grief.
Please note that music files that are linked to are not necessarily the same edition we will be using on the night and therefore there may be some slight differences.
Farrant Lord, for thy tender mercy’s sake SATB
This perfect short anthem might be by Richard Farrant (1525-1580), to whom it is usually attributed, or might be by John Hilton, who probably added the exquisite Amens.
Byrd Though Amaryllis dance in green or YouTube link Also in the Oxford Book of English Madrigals SSATB
This pastoral, freely alternating between 6/4 and a hemiola-like 3/2, comes from the 1588 collection of adapted consort songs Psalmes, Sonets and Songs of Sadnes and Pietie, a collection mostly of religious music but which did also contain some secular pieces. It is a cautionary tale of love and marriage set as a riotous dance to a light but intricate five-part texture, possibly echoing intense public interest in Queen Elizabeth’s various unsuccessful suitors. Despite temptation, the poet resolves at the end of each verse ‘chill love no more’.
Byrd showed little interest in madrigals but was one of two composers, along with Gibbons, who developed the English consort song in its place; it has been suggested that the pastorals may also be an oblique reference to the tendency for many Catholic families to live in the privacy of country houses rather than at court. Many of Byrd’s secular vocal works were originally intended as consort songs in which the top voice is the ‘first singing part’ and the others are played by viols, though words are underlaid in such a way that they can be sung too. His settings are normally strophic, sectional and simple with very little if any text repetition. The lower voices are generally imitative whilst the upper voice carries the text and is syllabic and rhythmically comparatively simple.
Hilton Fair Oriana, beauty’s queen SSATB
This is from the Triumphs of Oriana, Thomas Morley’s 1601 anthology in praise of (it is thought) Queen Elizabeth – although there are long and short versions of that story... Either way is an intricate and delightful short piece, with the usual pastoral references to fauns and shepherds and some lovely depiction of their dances.
Wilbye (1574-1638) was a prolific composer of English madrigals. His style is characterized by delicate voice-writing, acute sensitivity to text and language, a seriousness of approach and a subtlety of musical ideas. He spent much of his life employed as resident musician for a wealthy family of arts patrons in Suffolk, and most of his compositional output is madrigalian. We are looking at three of his madrigals tonight.
Alas, what hope of speeding SATB
This emotional setting of the text comes from the composer’s first set of madrigals of 1598.
Flora gave me fairest flowers or YouTube link SATB
A lovely simple canzonet (lighter form of madrigal) depicting life in Arcadia.
Draw on, sweet night or YouTube link Also in the Oxford Book of English Madrigals SSATTB
This gem of a piece, characterised by a wistful melancholy, is a great favourite of ours and has often been requested ever since its introduction to our repertory a couple of years ago, so I make no apology for including it again! It is one of the longest and possibly greatest of all the English madrigals, with a notable musical concision. Almost every phrase in the piece can be related to the first four-note motif sung by the sopranos; even My life so ill, which appears to be new, is the original melody ‘upside-down’. An unusual and remarkable aspect of the piece is that the text gives almost no opportunity for word-painting, yet this abstraction seems to increase the sense of grief.
