The Oxford Book of English Madrigals explained

The Oxford Book of English Madrigals
Editor:Philip Ledger
Cover Artist:Jan Brueghel the Elder & Peter Paul Rubens
Country:United Kingdom
Language:English
Subject:Sheet Music - Folk & Traditional
Publisher:Oxford University Press
Release Date:1978
Media Type:Print (paperback)
Pages:403
Isbn:978-0-19-343664-0
Website:OUP.com

The Oxford Book of English Madrigals was edited by Philip Ledger, and published in 1978 by the Oxford University Press. It contains words and full music for some 60 of the madrigals and songs of the English Madrigal School.

When selecting works for this book, Ledger decided to represent the major composers of 16th-century English music such as William Byrd and Thomas Morley with several madrigals, alongside individual works by lesser-known composers. Ledger collaborated with Andrew Parker, a musicologist from King's College, Cambridge, who researched texts to the songs and supplemented the collection with annotations and critical commentary.[1]

In 1978, the choral group Pro Cantione Antiqua released a recording, directed by Ledger, of selected songs from this book.[2]

Contents

The collection contains the following madrigals:

Composer Madrigal
Those sweet delightful lilies
All creatures now
John Bennet Weep, O mine eyes
Lullaby, my sweet little baby
William Byrd This sweet and merry month of May
William Byrd Though Amaryllis dance
Come, gentle swains
Poor is the life
Michael East Quick, quick, away, dispatch!
Michael East (*No haste, but good!)
Fair nymphs, I heard one telling
John Farmer Fair Phyllis I saw
Consture my meaning
Ah, dear heart
Orlando Gibbons Dainty fine bird
Orlando Gibbons Oh that the learned poets
Orlando Gibbons The Silver Swan
Orlando Gibbons Trust not too much, fair youth
Orlando Gibbons What is our life?
Come away sweet love
See what a maze of error
April is in my mistress' face
Thomas Morley Fyer, fyer!
Thomas Morley Hard by a crystal fountain
Thomas Morley I love, alas, I love thee
Thomas Morley Leave, alas, this tormenting
Thomas Morley My bonny lass she smileth
Thomas Morley Now is the month of maying
Thomas Morley Sing we and chant it
Thomas Morley Though Philomela lost her love
Thomas Morley Whither away so fast
Sleep, fleshly birth
Adieu, ye city-prisoning towers
Thomas Tomkins Music divine
Thomas Tomkins Oh yes, has any found a lad?
Thomas Tomkins See, see the shepherds' queen
Thomas Tomkins Too much I once lamented
Mother, I will have a husband
Thomas Vautor Sweet Suffolk owl
Come sable night
John Ward Out from the vale
As Vesta was
Thomas Weelkes Come, sirrah Jack, ho!
Thomas Weelkes Hark, all ye lovely saints
Thomas Weelkes O care, thou wilt despatch me
Thomas Weelkes (*Hence care, thou art too cruel)
Thomas Weelkes Since Robin Hood
Thomas Weelkes Sing we at pleasure
Thomas Weelkes Strike it up, tabor
Thomas Weelkes Thule, the period of cosmography
Thomas Weelkes (*The Andalusian merchant)
Thomas Weelkes Thus sings my dearest jewel
Adieu, sweet Amaryllis
John Wilbye Draw on, sweet night
John Wilbye Flora gave me fairest flowers
John Wilbye Lady, when I behold
John Wilbye O what shall I do
John Wilbye Sweet honey-sucking bees
John Wilbye (*Yet, sweet, take heed)
John Wilbye Weep, weep, mine eyes

(*) = second parts

See also

Notes and References

  1. Milsom. John. Music. Early Music. 1 October 1983. 11. 4. 545–547. 10.1093/earlyj/11.4.545. 30 September 2016. en. 0306-1078. https://web.archive.org/web/20160930133540/http://em.oxfordjournals.org/content/11/4/545.extract. 30 September 2016. live.
  2. Book: Henry. Derrick. The Listener's Guide to Medieval and Renaissance Music.. 1983. Facts on File. New York, N.Y.. 9780871967510. 132. 1. Aufl.. registration.