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.
Morley Nolo mortem peccatoris
or YouTube SATB
From Tristitiae Remedium (A remedy for sadness) of 1616. This lovely macaronic (alternating language) piece is technically a carol. The text is attributed to John Redford, with the Latin title taken from the Rule of St Benedict.
Wilbye Thus saith my Cloris bright
or YouTube (or instrumental version) SATB
John Wilbye, described by a contemporary as "inferior to none in the world... for depth of skill and richness of conceit", is probably the most famous of all the English madrigalists, with a style characterized by delicate voice-writing and acute sensitivity to text. Like many of his older contemporaries, he was inspired by Italian musical models and poems: Thus saith my Cloris bright is a paraphrase of a poem by Guarini, set by Marenzio and reprinted in the second set of Musica Transalpina as So saith my fair.
Phillips Wherefore sit I complaining SATB
The Englishman Peter Philips (c1561-1628), an ardent catholic, fled to Rome in 1582, where he studied with Anerio. He later toured Europe, settling in Brussels in 1589 and later in Antwerp. After being arrested in Amsterdam (on suspicion of being involved in a plot against Queen Elizabeth), imprisoned and subsequently acquitted, he was employed in the household of Archduke Albert (who married Isabella of Spain) and went on to spend the rest of his life working in the Spanish Netherlands.
This is a new madrigal to us - it is quite long but not complicated.
Cavendish Come, gentle swains
or YouTube Also in the Oxford Book of English Madrigals SSATB
A delightful piece from the Triumphs of Oriana - the gentle music perfectly depicting the graceful text.
Morley The nymphs in green SSATB
It is about a game of barley-break, which we've encountered in Now is the month of maying where it essentially refers to a romp in the hay. However, there is indeed such a game! - see barley-break - The reference to 'jail' (sometimes called 'hell') is to the middle section of the playing area, and is from where the phrase 'the last couple in hell' is thought to originate. 'Sith' is archaic for 'since'.
Morley My bonny lass she smileth
or YouTube SATTB
Morley's madrigal is from his First Book of Balletts to Five Voices (1595). A ballett was the English form of the Italian balletto, a light, homophonic and strophic song for three or more singers, distinguished by dance-like rhythms and fa la refrains. Morley was the composer who established the English madrigal proper, though many of his compositions are in re-workings of works by Italian composers. This one is based on Gastoldi's Questa dolce sirena of 1591, although we are unlikely to have time to sing it
(see Questa dolce sirena
or YouTube,
also this instrumental version is lovely!)
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.
Morley Nolo mortem peccatoris
or YouTube SATB
From Tristitiae Remedium (A remedy for sadness) of 1616. This lovely macaronic (alternating language) piece is technically a carol. The text is attributed to John Redford, with the Latin title taken from the Rule of St Benedict.
Wilbye Thus saith my Cloris bright
or YouTube (or instrumental version) SATB
John Wilbye, described by a contemporary as "inferior to none in the world... for depth of skill and richness of conceit", is probably the most famous of all the English madrigalists, with a style characterized by delicate voice-writing and acute sensitivity to text. Like many of his older contemporaries, he was inspired by Italian musical models and poems: Thus saith my Cloris bright is a paraphrase of a poem by Guarini, set by Marenzio and reprinted in the second set of Musica Transalpina as So saith my fair.
Phillips Wherefore sit I complaining SATB
The Englishman Peter Philips (c1561-1628), an ardent catholic, fled to Rome in 1582, where he studied with Anerio. He later toured Europe, settling in Brussels in 1589 and later in Antwerp. After being arrested in Amsterdam (on suspicion of being involved in a plot against Queen Elizabeth), imprisoned and subsequently acquitted, he was employed in the household of Archduke Albert (who married Isabella of Spain) and went on to spend the rest of his life working in the Spanish Netherlands.
This is a new madrigal to us - it is quite long but not complicated.
Cavendish Come, gentle swains
or YouTube Also in the Oxford Book of English Madrigals SSATB
A delightful piece from the Triumphs of Oriana - the gentle music perfectly depicting the graceful text.
Morley The nymphs in green SSATB
It is about a game of barley-break, which we've encountered in Now is the month of maying where it essentially refers to a romp in the hay. However, there is indeed such a game! - see barley-break - The reference to 'jail' (sometimes called 'hell') is to the middle section of the playing area, and is from where the phrase 'the last couple in hell' is thought to originate. 'Sith' is archaic for 'since'.
Morley My bonny lass she smileth
or YouTube SATTB
Morley's madrigal is from his First Book of Balletts to Five Voices (1595). A ballett was the English form of the Italian balletto, a light, homophonic and strophic song for three or more singers, distinguished by dance-like rhythms and fa la refrains. Morley was the composer who established the English madrigal proper, though many of his compositions are in re-workings of works by Italian composers. This one is based on Gastoldi's Questa dolce sirena of 1591, although we are unlikely to have time to sing it
(see Questa dolce sirena
or YouTube,
also this instrumental version is lovely!)
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.
Morley Nolo mortem peccatoris
or YouTube SATB
From Tristitiae Remedium (A remedy for sadness) of 1616. This lovely macaronic (alternating language) piece is technically a carol. The text is attributed to John Redford, with the Latin title taken from the Rule of St Benedict.
Wilbye Thus saith my Cloris bright
or YouTube (or instrumental version) SATB
John Wilbye, described by a contemporary as "inferior to none in the world... for depth of skill and richness of conceit", is probably the most famous of all the English madrigalists, with a style characterized by delicate voice-writing and acute sensitivity to text. Like many of his older contemporaries, he was inspired by Italian musical models and poems: Thus saith my Cloris bright is a paraphrase of a poem by Guarini, set by Marenzio and reprinted in the second set of Musica Transalpina as So saith my fair.
Phillips Wherefore sit I complaining SATB
The Englishman Peter Philips (c1561-1628), an ardent catholic, fled to Rome in 1582, where he studied with Anerio. He later toured Europe, settling in Brussels in 1589 and later in Antwerp. After being arrested in Amsterdam (on suspicion of being involved in a plot against Queen Elizabeth), imprisoned and subsequently acquitted, he was employed in the household of Archduke Albert (who married Isabella of Spain) and went on to spend the rest of his life working in the Spanish Netherlands.
This is a new madrigal to us - it is quite long but not complicated.
Cavendish Come, gentle swains
or YouTube Also in the Oxford Book of English Madrigals SSATB
A delightful piece from the Triumphs of Oriana - the gentle music perfectly depicting the graceful text.
Morley The nymphs in green SSATB
It is about a game of barley-break, which we've encountered in Now is the month of maying where it essentially refers to a romp in the hay. However, there is indeed such a game! - see barley-break - The reference to 'jail' (sometimes called 'hell') is to the middle section of the playing area, and is from where the phrase 'the last couple in hell' is thought to originate. 'Sith' is archaic for 'since'.
Morley My bonny lass she smileth
or YouTube SATTB
Morley's madrigal is from his First Book of Balletts to Five Voices (1595). A ballett was the English form of the Italian balletto, a light, homophonic and strophic song for three or more singers, distinguished by dance-like rhythms and fa la refrains. Morley was the composer who established the English madrigal proper, though many of his compositions are in re-workings of works by Italian composers. This one is based on Gastoldi's Questa dolce sirena of 1591, although we are unlikely to have time to sing it
(see Questa dolce sirena
or YouTube,
also this instrumental version is lovely!)
