Conducted by Neil Hawes
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.
Anon Rejoice in the Lord alway or YouTube SATB
This beautiful 16th century anthem was for many years attributed to John Redford, who died in 1547, but it has been realised in recent years that there is no evidence for this, so it is now listed as anonymous. The words are from Philippians chapter 4, verses 4 to 7, which is part of a reading for the fourth Sunday in Advent.
Arcadelt Il bianco e dolce cigno or YouTube SATB
This is said to be the most popular madrigal of the 16th century in Europe, and dates from 1538. Arcadelt was either Flemish or French, but worked in Italy and France.
The idea that a mute swan sang only when on the point of death (i.e. performed a swan song) is an ancient romantic myth going back to at least classical Greek and Roman times. It features in two of the fables of the Greek Aesop and a story of Roman poet Ovid; it is also covered by no less than Chaucer, Leonardo da Vinci, Shakespeare, Coleridge and Tennyson. However, since early times (e.g. Pliny the Elder in 77AD) it was known that in fact the mute swan is not mute and does not magically sing when it is dying - so it has always been known to be a myth.
Gibbons The Silver Swan or YouTube or YouTube Also in the Oxford Book of English Madrigals SATBB
It is almost certain that Gibbons heard the Arcadelt version before he wrote this in 1612, 74 years later.
The classical reference to the mute swan is the same but other metaphors are added and the conclusion is rather different. The phrase "leaning her breast against..." is a classical reference - the nightingale is said to sing so mournfully because it leant its breast against a thorn. And the "more geese than swans" is also an old classical analogy of foolish and wise.
In Arcadelt's version, the author compares his fate with that of the swan, who 'dies disconsolate', but he 'dies blessed' and would be happy to die a thousand times a day. Gibbons' conclusion seems to be that there are more foolish people than wise people, or perhaps it is a comment on the state of madrigal writing.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge famously wrote: "Swans sing before they die - 'twere no bad thing / Should certain persons die before they sing."!
Farmer Fair Phyllis or YouTube Also in the Oxford Book of English Madrigals SATB
This lively and well-known madrigal dates from 1599. The text is pastoral and classical, it has plenty of what seems to us now simplistic word-painting, and contains some not-so-simplistic ribaldry. 'Hied' is an old word for 'hastened' or 'strove'. The music has clever combinations of duple and triple time, and homophony and polyphony.
John Bennet Weep, O mine eyes or YouTube Also in the Oxford Book of English Madrigals SATB
To change the mood rather drastically, this piece expresses the melancholy of someone in the depths of despair who wishes to drown in his tears. It was written as a tribute to John Dowland, and uses part of his lute song Flow my tears.
Greaves Come away sweet love or YouTube Also in the Oxford Book of English Madrigals SSATB
This very singable and graceful piece was publishd in Songs of sundrie kinds in 1604. In the typical style of a ballett, the verses are homophonic and the fa-la choruses are polyphonic. Watch out for the ‘running in and out’!
Conducted by Neil Hawes
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.
Anon Rejoice in the Lord alway or YouTube SATB
This beautiful 16th century anthem was for many years attributed to John Redford, who died in 1547, but it has been realised in recent years that there is no evidence for this, so it is now listed as anonymous. The words are from Philippians chapter 4, verses 4 to 7, which is part of a reading for the fourth Sunday in Advent.
Arcadelt Il bianco e dolce cigno or YouTube SATB
This is said to be the most popular madrigal of the 16th century in Europe, and dates from 1538. Arcadelt was either Flemish or French, but worked in Italy and France.
The idea that a mute swan sang only when on the point of death (i.e. performed a swan song) is an ancient romantic myth going back to at least classical Greek and Roman times. It features in two of the fables of the Greek Aesop and a story of Roman poet Ovid; it is also covered by no less than Chaucer, Leonardo da Vinci, Shakespeare, Coleridge and Tennyson. However, since early times (e.g. Pliny the Elder in 77AD) it was known that in fact the mute swan is not mute and does not magically sing when it is dying - so it has always been known to be a myth.
Gibbons The Silver Swan or YouTube or YouTube Also in the Oxford Book of English Madrigals SATBB
It is almost certain that Gibbons heard the Arcadelt version before he wrote this in 1612, 74 years later.
The classical reference to the mute swan is the same but other metaphors are added and the conclusion is rather different. The phrase "leaning her breast against..." is a classical reference - the nightingale is said to sing so mournfully because it leant its breast against a thorn. And the "more geese than swans" is also an old classical analogy of foolish and wise.
In Arcadelt's version, the author compares his fate with that of the swan, who 'dies disconsolate', but he 'dies blessed' and would be happy to die a thousand times a day. Gibbons' conclusion seems to be that there are more foolish people than wise people, or perhaps it is a comment on the state of madrigal writing.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge famously wrote: "Swans sing before they die - 'twere no bad thing / Should certain persons die before they sing."!
Farmer Fair Phyllis or YouTube Also in the Oxford Book of English Madrigals SATB
This lively and well-known madrigal dates from 1599. The text is pastoral and classical, it has plenty of what seems to us now simplistic word-painting, and contains some not-so-simplistic ribaldry. 'Hied' is an old word for 'hastened' or 'strove'. The music has clever combinations of duple and triple time, and homophony and polyphony.
John Bennet Weep, O mine eyes or YouTube Also in the Oxford Book of English Madrigals SATB
To change the mood rather drastically, this piece expresses the melancholy of someone in the depths of despair who wishes to drown in his tears. It was written as a tribute to John Dowland, and uses part of his lute song Flow my tears.
Greaves Come away sweet love or YouTube Also in the Oxford Book of English Madrigals SSATB
This very singable and graceful piece was publishd in Songs of sundrie kinds in 1604. In the typical style of a ballett, the verses are homophonic and the fa-la choruses are polyphonic. Watch out for the ‘running in and out’!
Conducted by Neil Hawes
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.
Anon Rejoice in the Lord alway or YouTube SATB
This beautiful 16th century anthem was for many years attributed to John Redford, who died in 1547, but it has been realised in recent years that there is no evidence for this, so it is now listed as anonymous. The words are from Philippians chapter 4, verses 4 to 7, which is part of a reading for the fourth Sunday in Advent.
Arcadelt Il bianco e dolce cigno or YouTube SATB
This is said to be the most popular madrigal of the 16th century in Europe, and dates from 1538. Arcadelt was either Flemish or French, but worked in Italy and France.
The idea that a mute swan sang only when on the point of death (i.e. performed a swan song) is an ancient romantic myth going back to at least classical Greek and Roman times. It features in two of the fables of the Greek Aesop and a story of Roman poet Ovid; it is also covered by no less than Chaucer, Leonardo da Vinci, Shakespeare, Coleridge and Tennyson. However, since early times (e.g. Pliny the Elder in 77AD) it was known that in fact the mute swan is not mute and does not magically sing when it is dying - so it has always been known to be a myth.
Gibbons The Silver Swan or YouTube or YouTube Also in the Oxford Book of English Madrigals SATBB
It is almost certain that Gibbons heard the Arcadelt version before he wrote this in 1612, 74 years later.
The classical reference to the mute swan is the same but other metaphors are added and the conclusion is rather different. The phrase "leaning her breast against..." is a classical reference - the nightingale is said to sing so mournfully because it leant its breast against a thorn. And the "more geese than swans" is also an old classical analogy of foolish and wise.
In Arcadelt's version, the author compares his fate with that of the swan, who 'dies disconsolate', but he 'dies blessed' and would be happy to die a thousand times a day. Gibbons' conclusion seems to be that there are more foolish people than wise people, or perhaps it is a comment on the state of madrigal writing.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge famously wrote: "Swans sing before they die - 'twere no bad thing / Should certain persons die before they sing."!
Farmer Fair Phyllis or YouTube Also in the Oxford Book of English Madrigals SATB
This lively and well-known madrigal dates from 1599. The text is pastoral and classical, it has plenty of what seems to us now simplistic word-painting, and contains some not-so-simplistic ribaldry. 'Hied' is an old word for 'hastened' or 'strove'. The music has clever combinations of duple and triple time, and homophony and polyphony.
John Bennet Weep, O mine eyes or YouTube Also in the Oxford Book of English Madrigals SATB
To change the mood rather drastically, this piece expresses the melancholy of someone in the depths of despair who wishes to drown in his tears. It was written as a tribute to John Dowland, and uses part of his lute song Flow my tears.
Greaves Come away sweet love or YouTube Also in the Oxford Book of English Madrigals SSATB
This very singable and graceful piece was publishd in Songs of sundrie kinds in 1604. In the typical style of a ballett, the verses are homophonic and the fa-la choruses are polyphonic. Watch out for the ‘running in and out’!
