Please note that music files that are linked to are not necessarily the same edition we will be using on the day and therefore there may be some slight differences.
Tallis If ye love me (or bar-less edition) or YouTube SATB
Thomas Tallis (1505-1585) lived under the reign of five monarchs, a turbulent time in English political and religious history. During the reign of Edward VI (1547-1553), a Protestant, it was mandated that the services be sung in English, and that the choral music be brief and succinct "to each syllable a plain and distinct note."
If ye love me, to a text from John 14: 15-17, is the classic example of these new English anthems: mainly homophonic, but with brief moments of imitation. It possesses unusual purity and simplicity and is a fine example of restrained pathos. Like many early Anglican anthems, it is cast in ABB form, with the second section repeated twice.
Wilbye Sweet honey sucking bees and Yet sweet, take heed (NB not the version in Oxford Book of English Madrigals) or YouTube link (YouTube link has both pieces) SSATB
John Wilbye was one of the finest madrigalists of his time. His fame rests on his madrigalean output, and his achievement in the grave music of his 'serious' madrigals, a style then largely unpractised in England. His alert ear for the rhythm, stress and intonation of speech fills his music with passages in which the verbal accent is counterpointed against the musical metre. Sweet honey-sucking Bees and its second part, Yet sweet take heed display his skill in vocal orchestration: the full number of voices is not constant, with the composer writing for much of the time for ever-changing smaller groups within the ensemble.
Bennett All creatures now or YouTube or a great King’s Singers rendition (but not at the key in which we sing it!) Also in the Oxford Book of English Madrigals SSATB
This delightful piece, from The Triumphs of Oriana, is one of the most loved of all madrigals. It is mostly homophonic, with a few obvious instances of word-painting: look out for an effervescent 'merry'-ment, hovering birds, and a stately elongation of the word 'Long' (live fair Oriana) towards the end of the piece. The phrase 'the flowers themselves discover' means that they appear or show themselves.
Weelkes Thomas Weelkes was one of the finest of all English madrigal composers. Most of his secular output was composed as a young man, whilst at Winchester and Oxford, before moving to Chichester Cathedral where he composed anthems and other service music and developed his now infamous reputation for drinking and unruliness. His best works are full of brilliant imagery and word-painting.
Take here my heart or Audio file (mp3) SSATB
This beautiful piece represents a whole-hearted avowal of love, expressed in perfect simplicity. It opens with a descending phrase evocative of wedding bells, and ends with dignity and strength.
Like two proud armies or YouTube SSATBB
This madrigal is based on Striggio's Non rumor di tamburi (which we might look at another time if we enjoy the Weelkes). It is distinctly martial in feel, with the opposing forces being those of love and reason. It opens with an extended section in 6-part tutti.
Sing we at pleasure or YouTube Also in the Oxford Book of English Madrigals SSATB
Sing we at pleasure dates from 1598 and is a ballet in binary form. There is a lively triple-time rhythm. Note the octave leaps on 'pleasure' compared to otherwise largely step-wise movement. There is quite a bit of syncopation as a result of imitation and dotted rhythms throughout, and the fa-la refrains put the two sopranos in canon a bar apart.
Please note that music files that are linked to are not necessarily the same edition we will be using on the day and therefore there may be some slight differences.
Tallis If ye love me (or bar-less edition) or YouTube SATB
Thomas Tallis (1505-1585) lived under the reign of five monarchs, a turbulent time in English political and religious history. During the reign of Edward VI (1547-1553), a Protestant, it was mandated that the services be sung in English, and that the choral music be brief and succinct "to each syllable a plain and distinct note."
If ye love me, to a text from John 14: 15-17, is the classic example of these new English anthems: mainly homophonic, but with brief moments of imitation. It possesses unusual purity and simplicity and is a fine example of restrained pathos. Like many early Anglican anthems, it is cast in ABB form, with the second section repeated twice.
Wilbye Sweet honey sucking bees and Yet sweet, take heed (NB not the version in Oxford Book of English Madrigals) or YouTube link (YouTube link has both pieces) SSATB
John Wilbye was one of the finest madrigalists of his time. His fame rests on his madrigalean output, and his achievement in the grave music of his 'serious' madrigals, a style then largely unpractised in England. His alert ear for the rhythm, stress and intonation of speech fills his music with passages in which the verbal accent is counterpointed against the musical metre. Sweet honey-sucking Bees and its second part, Yet sweet take heed display his skill in vocal orchestration: the full number of voices is not constant, with the composer writing for much of the time for ever-changing smaller groups within the ensemble.
Bennett All creatures now or YouTube or a great King’s Singers rendition (but not at the key in which we sing it!) Also in the Oxford Book of English Madrigals SSATB
This delightful piece, from The Triumphs of Oriana, is one of the most loved of all madrigals. It is mostly homophonic, with a few obvious instances of word-painting: look out for an effervescent 'merry'-ment, hovering birds, and a stately elongation of the word 'Long' (live fair Oriana) towards the end of the piece. The phrase 'the flowers themselves discover' means that they appear or show themselves.
Weelkes Thomas Weelkes was one of the finest of all English madrigal composers. Most of his secular output was composed as a young man, whilst at Winchester and Oxford, before moving to Chichester Cathedral where he composed anthems and other service music and developed his now infamous reputation for drinking and unruliness. His best works are full of brilliant imagery and word-painting.
Take here my heart or Audio file (mp3) SSATB
This beautiful piece represents a whole-hearted avowal of love, expressed in perfect simplicity. It opens with a descending phrase evocative of wedding bells, and ends with dignity and strength.
Like two proud armies or YouTube SSATBB
This madrigal is based on Striggio's Non rumor di tamburi (which we might look at another time if we enjoy the Weelkes). It is distinctly martial in feel, with the opposing forces being those of love and reason. It opens with an extended section in 6-part tutti.
Sing we at pleasure or YouTube Also in the Oxford Book of English Madrigals SSATB
Sing we at pleasure dates from 1598 and is a ballet in binary form. There is a lively triple-time rhythm. Note the octave leaps on 'pleasure' compared to otherwise largely step-wise movement. There is quite a bit of syncopation as a result of imitation and dotted rhythms throughout, and the fa-la refrains put the two sopranos in canon a bar apart.
Please note that music files that are linked to are not necessarily the same edition we will be using on the day and therefore there may be some slight differences.
Tallis If ye love me (or bar-less edition) or YouTube SATB
Thomas Tallis (1505-1585) lived under the reign of five monarchs, a turbulent time in English political and religious history. During the reign of Edward VI (1547-1553), a Protestant, it was mandated that the services be sung in English, and that the choral music be brief and succinct "to each syllable a plain and distinct note."
If ye love me, to a text from John 14: 15-17, is the classic example of these new English anthems: mainly homophonic, but with brief moments of imitation. It possesses unusual purity and simplicity and is a fine example of restrained pathos. Like many early Anglican anthems, it is cast in ABB form, with the second section repeated twice.
Wilbye Sweet honey sucking bees and Yet sweet, take heed (NB not the version in Oxford Book of English Madrigals) or YouTube link (YouTube link has both pieces) SSATB
John Wilbye was one of the finest madrigalists of his time. His fame rests on his madrigalean output, and his achievement in the grave music of his 'serious' madrigals, a style then largely unpractised in England. His alert ear for the rhythm, stress and intonation of speech fills his music with passages in which the verbal accent is counterpointed against the musical metre. Sweet honey-sucking Bees and its second part, Yet sweet take heed display his skill in vocal orchestration: the full number of voices is not constant, with the composer writing for much of the time for ever-changing smaller groups within the ensemble.
Bennett All creatures now or YouTube or a great King’s Singers rendition (but not at the key in which we sing it!) Also in the Oxford Book of English Madrigals SSATB
This delightful piece, from The Triumphs of Oriana, is one of the most loved of all madrigals. It is mostly homophonic, with a few obvious instances of word-painting: look out for an effervescent 'merry'-ment, hovering birds, and a stately elongation of the word 'Long' (live fair Oriana) towards the end of the piece. The phrase 'the flowers themselves discover' means that they appear or show themselves.
Weelkes Thomas Weelkes was one of the finest of all English madrigal composers. Most of his secular output was composed as a young man, whilst at Winchester and Oxford, before moving to Chichester Cathedral where he composed anthems and other service music and developed his now infamous reputation for drinking and unruliness. His best works are full of brilliant imagery and word-painting.
Take here my heart or Audio file (mp3) SSATB
This beautiful piece represents a whole-hearted avowal of love, expressed in perfect simplicity. It opens with a descending phrase evocative of wedding bells, and ends with dignity and strength.
Like two proud armies or YouTube SSATBB
This madrigal is based on Striggio's Non rumor di tamburi (which we might look at another time if we enjoy the Weelkes). It is distinctly martial in feel, with the opposing forces being those of love and reason. It opens with an extended section in 6-part tutti.
Sing we at pleasure or YouTube Also in the Oxford Book of English Madrigals SSATB
Sing we at pleasure dates from 1598 and is a ballet in binary form. There is a lively triple-time rhythm. Note the octave leaps on 'pleasure' compared to otherwise largely step-wise movement. There is quite a bit of syncopation as a result of imitation and dotted rhythms throughout, and the fa-la refrains put the two sopranos in canon a bar apart.
