Lyr Req: Looking for Elizabethan Era songs - help

Subject: Lyr Req: Looking for Elizabethan Era songs - help
From: Blackcatter
Date: 09 Dec 04 - 01:05 AM

Hi all,

Just got a request from the local library to do an hour on Elizabethan Era songs in january. Problem is, the furthest my song base goes back is probably mid 1700s, a bit too young.

Any songs would be most appreciated.

Blackcatter

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for Elizabethan Era songs - help
From: Peace
Date: 09 Dec 04 - 01:21 AM

Resource for you here:

www.pbm.com/~lindahl/ballads/child.html

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for Elizabethan Era songs - h
From: Helen
Date: 09 Dec 04 - 01:56 AM

Hello, my ex-secret Santa!

I have an excellent book called

Elizabethan Songbook, edited by WH.Auden, C.Kallman, N.Greenberg, 1968.

There are some very nice songs in it, and I especially like the music of
Classical Music Archives: early music - C index and http://www.classicalarchives.com/early/d.html.

The Classical Music Archives is worth signing up for so that you can download some midis. Very well-crafted midis, they are, too!

One of my very favourite sites to surf around in.

I'll hunt out my book and tell you the name of my favourite songs in it. The intro is worth reading too. You should be able to get it through the library, or on loan from another library.

Helen

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for Elizabethan Era songs - help
From: Jeanie
Date: 09 Dec 04 - 03:14 AM

Published earlier this year: Shakespeare's Songbook compiled by Ross.W.Duffin, with accompanying CD.

Also, Shakespeare's Globe have 5 CDs on offer: Globe Musicians - but no lyrics or music score with these, unlike the Duffin book.

All good wishes,
- jeanie

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for Elizabethan Era songs - help
From: Crystal
Date: 09 Dec 04 - 04:07 AM

Years ago when I took part in a historical re-enactment there were several songs which we sung which may, or may not have been genuine Elizabethen. The two which I remember best were short funny songs. one was a round called, I think, "The White Hen she Cackles" and the second may have been "Oot Ray Me" and had lots of quasi latin words. I'd be keen to find out if either of these are genuine.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for Elizabethan Era songs - help
From: masato sakurai
Date: 09 Dec 04 - 07:35 AM

The Music of Thomas Ravenscroft (not exactly Elizabethan?)

Pammelia. Mvsicks Miscellanie. (1609)
Deuteromelia: Or The Second part of Musicks melodie. (1609)
Melismata. Mvsicall Phansies. Fitting the Covrt, Citie, and Covntrey Hvmovrs. To 3, 4, and 5. Voyces. (1611)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for Elizabethan Era songs - help
From: harpgirl
Date: 09 Dec 04 - 07:40 AM

Hi BC Just saying a big post hurricane hi! I'm still trying to get FEMA to pay my Francis damages....

Subject: Lyr Add: FOLLOW ME UP TO CARLOW
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Dec 04 - 08:17 AM

You might try this one from the DT (with some repairs to spellings)

FOLLOW ME UP TO CARLOW

Lift MacCahir Og your face brooding o'er the old disgrace
That black FitzWilliam stormed your place, and drove you to the Fern
Grey said victory was sure soon the firebrand he'd secure;
Until he met at Glenmalure with Fiach MacHugh O'Byrne.

Ch.: Curse and swear Lord Kildare
Fiach will do what Fiach will dare
Now FitzWilliam, have a care
Fallen is your star, low
Up with halbert out with sword
On we'll go for by the lord
Fiach MacHugh has given the word,
Follow me up to Carlow.

See the swords of Glen Immal, flashing o'er the English Pale
See all the children of the Gael, beneath O'Byrne's banner
Rooster of a fighting stock, would you let a Saxon cock
Crow out upon an Irish rock, fly up and teach him manners.

From Tassagart to Clonmore, there flows a stream of Saxon gore
And great is Rory Oge O'More, at sending 'loons to Hades.
White is sick and Grey is fled, now for black FitzWilliam's head
We'll send it over, alldripping red, to Queen Liza and her ladies.

NOTE: The Tune is a fast (!) Irish march.
recorded by Planxty on their first album (1972) and by Noel McLough

In 1580, in the lonely pass of Glenmalure in Co. Wicklow, Fiach MacHugh O'Byrne completely overthrew the forces of the Crown under Lord Grey de Wilton. The victory is commemorated in this stirring song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for Elizabethan Era songs - help
From: Essex Girl
Date: 09 Dec 04 - 08:27 AM

Dave sings ' The Hunt is up' which is Tudor, and the words can be found here.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for Elizabethan Era songs - help
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 09 Dec 04 - 09:49 AM

you could do Mary Hamilton.
Check out the threads for some of its history which is not clearcut.
Keith

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for Elizabethan Era songs - h
From: GUEST,Julia
Date: 09 Dec 04 - 09:58 AM

The music of John Dowland is period. He could never get an official court appointment because he was Catholic.
Others
Thomas Campion
Thomas Morley
John Bartlet
Francis Cutting
Anthony Holborne
Also check "Popular Music of the Olden Time" by William Chappell

remember some of the stuff was really scandalous
WE once did a high school program and did some catches- it was funny watching the kids finally "get" the lyrics!
Have fun-
Julia

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for Elizabethan Era songs - help
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 09 Dec 04 - 10:59 AM

To accomplish this via the Net, you need MIDI's (or abc's) lyrics, chords and a music program. Getting an hours worth of music might take a very long time. Are you ready to cope with all that? If not, go to your public library. Take some dimes. Also take the suggestions that Mudcatters have provided so far.

In an encyclopedia, look up the dates for Elizabeth I.

In the 784's (I think that's the number) look for songs from those dates. Copy them right there.

Suggestion: just for laughs, sing a modern song and tell the people it is indeed Elizabethan - just from the time of Elizabeth II.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for Elizabethan Era songs - h
From: Blackcatter
Date: 09 Dec 04 - 11:18 AM

Thanks all,

I don't plan on spending much money on books - also, i don't read music, to like leeneia suggests, midis (or mp3s) would be very helpful.

I'll keep looking & please keep suggesting stuff. I can always fudge a bit and put in some later songs as well. They don't know anything about the subject anyway.


Harpgirl - good luck with fEMA. Most of us have pretty much recovered in Orlando. I still have a couple friends with a condemned home. Both of them are working for the Small Business Admin to make enough money to add to what they'll get from FEMA to rebuild.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for Elizabethan Era songs - help
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 09 Dec 04 - 11:42 AM

Follow me up to Carlow? Oh dear. It's "Elizabethen" in much the same way that I'm Enery the Eighth I am is "Tudor". The words were written a little over 100 years ago, by P J McCall. The tune is older, and Scottish in origin (later 18th century), being a modified form of Donald Dow's reel Bonnie Annie. See previous discussion for details.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for Elizabethan Era songs - help
From: GUEST,Weasel Books
Date: 09 Dec 04 - 11:42 AM

The lyrics of 'Follow Me Up to Carlow' are NOT Elizabethan. They were written by the the same man that wrote those of 'Danny Boy'. The tune however is supposed to have been played before the battle.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for Elizabethan Era songs - h
From: Helen
Date: 10 Dec 04 - 06:49 AM

elizabethan midis

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for Elizabethan Era songs - help
From: Fergie
Date: 10 Dec 04 - 08:04 AM

Eh! my suggestion of "Follow me up to Carlow" as an Elizabethan piece, although a little churlish of of me, was intended to be 'tongue in cheek'.
Fergus

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for Elizabethan Era songs - help
From: nutty
Date: 10 Dec 04 - 09:17 AM

This is an interesting site and may be of some use ........

Sixteenth Century Ballads

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for Elizabethan Era songs - help
From: Ooh-Aah2
Date: 10 Dec 04 - 02:58 PM

Don't forget the big guys - apart from Dowland who has already been mentioned, there were Thomas Tallis and William Byrd, who made this one of the few times in history when English music was pre-eminent in Europe. Other names to conjure with are John Bull (yes really!), John Johnson, Richard Allison, Thomas Morley, Giles Farnaby, Thomas Thomkins and Orlando Gibbons.

Three excellent albums with lots of good stuff are 'Watkins Ale' by the excellent Baltimore concert - it would be hard to get a better introduction to the music of this era, it was the first CD I ever bought - Dorian. 'Elizbethan Songs and Consort Music' on Naxos, and Trevor Pinnock's '16th Century English Harpsichord and Virginals Music'. 'Spem in Alium' by the Tallis Scholars is an excellent recording of some of Tallis' best pieces.

Some fine songs to demonstrate the diffrent veins in Elizabethan music are 'Flow my teares' (also known as 'Lachrimae, or seven teares')and 'Fortune my Foe' by Dowland - these exemplify the English 'cult of melancholy', which we were known for all over Europe; 'Watkins Ale' a fabulously naughty song,typical of good humored bawdiness, ending with the immortal lines

                If any here offended be
                Then blame the author, blame not me.

and 'Packington's Pound', the No. one hit of the Elizabethan era which had dozens and dozens of lyrics set to it, from the story of Jonah and the whale to the sad story of a thief about to be hung

       Youth youth, thou 'ad better been starved by thy nurse
       Than live to be hanged for cuttin' a purse.

Hope this is helpful.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for Elizabethan Era songs - help
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 10 Dec 04 - 03:21 PM

The Bodleian Library lists 20 broadsides from 1550-1600 (Elizabeth's reign). In 'Index,' select date. Enter in 'display' 1550-1600 (or whatever range you wish). Some unusual material might come up that is not among the usual suggestions.
Bodelian Library

Olson's Index was great for this, if you have a downloaded copy (now discontinued).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for Elizabethan Era songs - help
From: Crane Driver
Date: 11 Dec 04 - 08:25 AM

Masato earlier posted references to Thomas Ravenscroft, who published three books of "gentleman's drinking songs" in the early 1600s - Stuart period. But these songs are collected by, not written by Ravenscroft, and he described them as "old" when he published them. He seems to be putting them together like a folk song collector, in the sense of trying to preserve something from an earlier era that's dying out. This suggests the songs ARE in fact Elizabethan. One of them is "Martin said to his Man", still widely sung today. Another is a cumulative drinking song called "Balla Moy" which on close examination seems to be a version of "The Barley Mow". Another of Ravenscroft's collection is "Soldiers Three", recorded by the late Peter Bellamy on a theme album called "The Tale of Ale". This could be a good place to start.

All the best,
Andrew

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for Elizabethan Era songs - help
From: Blackcatter
Date: 31 Jan 05 - 10:51 AM

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. The gig was yesterday and was a success. I killed an hour of about 200 people's lives and did so with at least polite applause for all songs. Not bad considering that there was no cover charge and no alcohol to be had.

And the nice thing is they've asked be back for St. Pat's Day, which is what I was hoping for all along...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for Elizabethan Era songs - help
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 31 Jan 05 - 11:20 AM

so, what did you end up doing?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for Elizabethan Era songs - h
From: GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 31 Jan 05 - 12:21 PM

It may sound excessively obvious, but Shakespeare's a goldmine of songs that started out as folk. Examples:
Tomorrow Is Saint Valentine's Day
All a Green Willow Shall Be My Garland
I Was a Lover and His Lass
Western Wind
How Should I Your True Love Know
Jog On the Footpath Way
John Dory

also
Cherry Ripe (not the later art song)
Jolly Good Ale and Old
Roister Doister
A, Robyn
Martin Said To His Man (the right era, I think)
Greensleeves
The Three Ravens
King Henry the Fifth's Conquest of France
Fara Diddle Dyno
and, of course, To Celia (=Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes)

Most of these have no surviving tunes, but tunes have been put to them over the yeas.   The Shakespearean ones usually appear in fragments, but the whole song is often known. Your local library, or Web libraries, should have a fair section under Renaissance Songs or some such search term.

You may also want to check current CDs under Elizabethan or Shakespearean songs...there are lots more.   Good hunting! Bob

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for Elizabethan Era songs - h
From: GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 31 Jan 05 - 01:32 PM

CORRECTION...before I gum up four hundred years of Shakespeare scholarship (not hard to do):

Western Wind and John Dory above were supposed to be in the second, non-Shakespeare part of the list. Sorry...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for Elizabethan Era songs - h
From: Helen
Date: 01 Feb 05 - 01:23 AM

Blackcatter,

I'd be interested in seeing your playlist, too. Glad it went well, and wish I could have been there.

Helen