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.
Farrant Lord, for thy tender mercy's sake
or YouTube (the YouTube video is in higher key and with Amens that are not in our edition) SATB
This short verse-anthem is by Richard Farrant (c.1525-1580) or John Hilton, the elder (1565–c.1609) - or possibly both contributed to the piece.
Farrant was a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal and became organist at St George's Chapel, Windsor. As well as anthems, he wrote many plays and in some cases incorporated the two together.
Surprisingly, this piece was not published until 1905, and only became well known after it was published in the Church Anthem Book of 1933.
Dowland Three pieces
John Dowland (probably pronounced "Dooland" in his day) (c.1563-1626), was an accomplished poet, composer and singer and widely regarded as the greatest lutenist of his day.
The lute was the most popular musical instrument of its era, very much equivalent to the guitar in the last 60 years, and Dowland was very much the equivalent of a pop star of today, famed throughout Europe as "the English Orpheus" for his artistry and skill.
Many of his best known compositions are melancholy songs, and the first two of these three pieces fall into that category.
Unfortunately he is sometimes overlooked because he is not regarded as a mainstream madrigal composer. Edmund Fellows, a conductor of Kingston Madrigals in the 1930s and a well-known writer, publisher and populariser of madrigals, did not include him in his lists of English Madrigal composers because he was considered to be primarily a lutenist.
All these three songs are in verses like balletts, but do not have fa-las. None of these three were in our library, so I have created a booklet of them for current and future use.
Come again, sweet love doth now invite
or YouTube SATB
All three of these pieces were intended to be sung either as a solo with a lute accompaniment, or as an unaccompanied madrigal.
This piece was first published in 1597 in Dowland's The First Booke of Songs or Ayres. It is probably Dowland's most famous song, and, although the words are melancholy, it is written in the major key. The second half is particularly effective and memorable.
Now, O now, I needs must part
or YouTube (the YouTube video has some extra repeats and variations) SATB
This piece is sometimes referred to as "The Frog Galliard", for reasons unknown. It was also first published in 1597 in The First Booke of Songs or Ayres.
Fine knacks for ladies, cheap, choice, brave and new
or YouTube (the YouTube video is in a lower key than our edition) SATB
This was published in 1600 in The Second Booke of Songs or Ayres. The words are an anonymous pedlar's song and may incorporate street cries that mean very little to us now.
Desmond Bazley Sing out my friends SATB
This modern madrigal was composed in 2012 by Gilly's predecessor as Music Director Desmond Bazley who died in 2015.
It was written for a boat trip but also to celebrate the Queen's Jubilee of that year, so I thought it would be nice to end this Jubilee year with the piece.
It is intricate in places and has some chromaticisms which can be tricky. The original version was also quite difficult to read, so I have transcribed it.
There is, of course, no YouTube video of it being sung, but I have recorded the parts (just one verse):
All parts equal
Soprano
Alto
Tenor
Bass
Wilbye Weep, weep mine eyes
or YouTube Also in the Oxford Book of English Madrigals (p.376) SAATB
It appears that we have never sung this madrigal, which is surprising as it is one of Wilbye's finest pieces.
It was written in the Italian tradition but with some English adaptions, published in 1609, and the words are a dialogue between two lovers facing death.
The characters Flaminia and Leander and their plight are probably taken from a play written by Walter Hawkesworth, which had been first performed in Trinity College Cambridge in January 1599; this play was itself heavily influenced by Italian Renaissance plays, especially Sforza D'Oddi's Erofilomachia of 1572.
Weelkes To shorten winter’s sadness
or YouTube SSATB
This lively ballet seems suitable for this time of year. The word 'mumming' in the second half of the first verse is probably a reference to mummers' plays (Wikipedia link).
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.
Farrant Lord, for thy tender mercy's sake
or YouTube (the YouTube video is in higher key and with Amens that are not in our edition) SATB
This short verse-anthem is by Richard Farrant (c.1525-1580) or John Hilton, the elder (1565–c.1609) - or possibly both contributed to the piece.
Farrant was a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal and became organist at St George's Chapel, Windsor. As well as anthems, he wrote many plays and in some cases incorporated the two together.
Surprisingly, this piece was not published until 1905, and only became well known after it was published in the Church Anthem Book of 1933.
Dowland Three pieces
John Dowland (probably pronounced "Dooland" in his day) (c.1563-1626), was an accomplished poet, composer and singer and widely regarded as the greatest lutenist of his day.
The lute was the most popular musical instrument of its era, very much equivalent to the guitar in the last 60 years, and Dowland was very much the equivalent of a pop star of today, famed throughout Europe as "the English Orpheus" for his artistry and skill.
Many of his best known compositions are melancholy songs, and the first two of these three pieces fall into that category.
Unfortunately he is sometimes overlooked because he is not regarded as a mainstream madrigal composer. Edmund Fellows, a conductor of Kingston Madrigals in the 1930s and a well-known writer, publisher and populariser of madrigals, did not include him in his lists of English Madrigal composers because he was considered to be primarily a lutenist.
All these three songs are in verses like balletts, but do not have fa-las. None of these three were in our library, so I have created a booklet of them for current and future use.
Come again, sweet love doth now invite
or YouTube SATB
All three of these pieces were intended to be sung either as a solo with a lute accompaniment, or as an unaccompanied madrigal.
This piece was first published in 1597 in Dowland's The First Booke of Songs or Ayres. It is probably Dowland's most famous song, and, although the words are melancholy, it is written in the major key. The second half is particularly effective and memorable.
Now, O now, I needs must part
or YouTube (the YouTube video has some extra repeats and variations) SATB
This piece is sometimes referred to as "The Frog Galliard", for reasons unknown. It was also first published in 1597 in The First Booke of Songs or Ayres.
Fine knacks for ladies, cheap, choice, brave and new
or YouTube (the YouTube video is in a lower key than our edition) SATB
This was published in 1600 in The Second Booke of Songs or Ayres. The words are an anonymous pedlar's song and may incorporate street cries that mean very little to us now.
Desmond Bazley Sing out my friends SATB
This modern madrigal was composed in 2012 by Gilly's predecessor as Music Director Desmond Bazley who died in 2015.
It was written for a boat trip but also to celebrate the Queen's Jubilee of that year, so I thought it would be nice to end this Jubilee year with the piece.
It is intricate in places and has some chromaticisms which can be tricky. The original version was also quite difficult to read, so I have transcribed it.
There is, of course, no YouTube video of it being sung, but I have recorded the parts (just one verse):
All parts equal
Soprano
Alto
Tenor
Bass
Wilbye Weep, weep mine eyes
or YouTube Also in the Oxford Book of English Madrigals (p.376) SAATB
It appears that we have never sung this madrigal, which is surprising as it is one of Wilbye's finest pieces.
It was written in the Italian tradition but with some English adaptions, published in 1609, and the words are a dialogue between two lovers facing death.
The characters Flaminia and Leander and their plight are probably taken from a play written by Walter Hawkesworth, which had been first performed in Trinity College Cambridge in January 1599; this play was itself heavily influenced by Italian Renaissance plays, especially Sforza D'Oddi's Erofilomachia of 1572.
Weelkes To shorten winter’s sadness
or YouTube SSATB
This lively ballet seems suitable for this time of year. The word 'mumming' in the second half of the first verse is probably a reference to mummers' plays (Wikipedia link).
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.
Farrant Lord, for thy tender mercy's sake
or YouTube (the YouTube video is in higher key and with Amens that are not in our edition) SATB
This short verse-anthem is by Richard Farrant (c.1525-1580) or John Hilton, the elder (1565–c.1609) - or possibly both contributed to the piece.
Farrant was a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal and became organist at St George's Chapel, Windsor. As well as anthems, he wrote many plays and in some cases incorporated the two together.
Surprisingly, this piece was not published until 1905, and only became well known after it was published in the Church Anthem Book of 1933.
Dowland Three pieces
John Dowland (probably pronounced "Dooland" in his day) (c.1563-1626), was an accomplished poet, composer and singer and widely regarded as the greatest lutenist of his day.
The lute was the most popular musical instrument of its era, very much equivalent to the guitar in the last 60 years, and Dowland was very much the equivalent of a pop star of today, famed throughout Europe as "the English Orpheus" for his artistry and skill.
Many of his best known compositions are melancholy songs, and the first two of these three pieces fall into that category.
Unfortunately he is sometimes overlooked because he is not regarded as a mainstream madrigal composer. Edmund Fellows, a conductor of Kingston Madrigals in the 1930s and a well-known writer, publisher and populariser of madrigals, did not include him in his lists of English Madrigal composers because he was considered to be primarily a lutenist.
All these three songs are in verses like balletts, but do not have fa-las. None of these three were in our library, so I have created a booklet of them for current and future use.
Come again, sweet love doth now invite
or YouTube SATB
All three of these pieces were intended to be sung either as a solo with a lute accompaniment, or as an unaccompanied madrigal.
This piece was first published in 1597 in Dowland's The First Booke of Songs or Ayres. It is probably Dowland's most famous song, and, although the words are melancholy, it is written in the major key. The second half is particularly effective and memorable.
Now, O now, I needs must part
or YouTube (the YouTube video has some extra repeats and variations) SATB
This piece is sometimes referred to as "The Frog Galliard", for reasons unknown. It was also first published in 1597 in The First Booke of Songs or Ayres.
Fine knacks for ladies, cheap, choice, brave and new
or YouTube (the YouTube video is in a lower key than our edition) SATB
This was published in 1600 in The Second Booke of Songs or Ayres. The words are an anonymous pedlar's song and may incorporate street cries that mean very little to us now.
Desmond Bazley Sing out my friends SATB
This modern madrigal was composed in 2012 by Gilly's predecessor as Music Director Desmond Bazley who died in 2015.
It was written for a boat trip but also to celebrate the Queen's Jubilee of that year, so I thought it would be nice to end this Jubilee year with the piece.
It is intricate in places and has some chromaticisms which can be tricky. The original version was also quite difficult to read, so I have transcribed it.
There is, of course, no YouTube video of it being sung, but I have recorded the parts (just one verse):
All parts equal
Soprano
Alto
Tenor
Bass
Wilbye Weep, weep mine eyes
or YouTube Also in the Oxford Book of English Madrigals (p.376) SAATB
It appears that we have never sung this madrigal, which is surprising as it is one of Wilbye's finest pieces.
It was written in the Italian tradition but with some English adaptions, published in 1609, and the words are a dialogue between two lovers facing death.
The characters Flaminia and Leander and their plight are probably taken from a play written by Walter Hawkesworth, which had been first performed in Trinity College Cambridge in January 1599; this play was itself heavily influenced by Italian Renaissance plays, especially Sforza D'Oddi's Erofilomachia of 1572.
Weelkes To shorten winter’s sadness
or YouTube SSATB
This lively ballet seems suitable for this time of year. The word 'mumming' in the second half of the first verse is probably a reference to mummers' plays (Wikipedia link).
