Origins of 'Daphne'?

Subject: RE: Origins of 'Daphne'?
From: Catamariner
Date: 02 Oct 21 - 12:13 AM

Owain Phyfe adds the first verse to the end as well. Also, I have to add ONE LETTER so that the lyrics make a deal more sense. Apollo is telling her she has nothing to fear, she should not run, because "Lion NOR tiger doth thee follow." Nor makes much more sense... also, listening to the sung version it's easy to elide "Lion nor" into "lion or"... as ISTM must have happened at some point. -- Heather


Daphne anon. 16th C. (England)

When Daphne from fair Phoebus did fly,
The West Wind so sweetly did blow in her face.
Her silken scarf scarce sheltered her eyes
The god cried O pity! and held her in chase.

Stay nymph stay, cried Apollo,
Tarry and turn thee, sweet nymph stay.
Lion nor tiger doth thee follow
Turn thy fair eyes and look this way.

O turn O pretty sweet
And let our red lips meet:
Pity O Daphne, pity, pity,
Pity O Daphne, pity me.

She gave no ear unto his cry,
But still did neglect him the more he did moan:
Though he did entreat, she still did deny,
And earnestly prayed him to leave her alone.

Never, never, cried Apollo,
Unless to love thou wilt consent,
And still with my voice so hollow,
I'll cry to thee while life be spent.

But prove if thou turn to me,
For certes thy felicity.
Pity O Daphne, pity, pity,
Pity O Daphne, pity me.

-----------

Don't know why, but I just love this cheerful little song :-)

Subject: RE: Origins of 'Daphne'?
From: Tootler
Date: 14 May 11 - 07:54 PM

Der Fluyten Lust-hof was published in various editions between 1644 and 1656 so a little before but roughly contemporary with Playford.

The basic tunes in Den Fluyten Lust-hof are mostly fairly straightforward but the variations rapidly become very difficult indeed.

I've heard Piers Adams play Daphne a couple of times he's amazing.

Subject: RE: Origins of 'Daphne'?
From: GUEST,Dave in Michigan
Date: 14 May 11 - 03:41 PM

Harpgirl-

a visiting Swede told me once that "busk" is Swedish for "bush", and that for Swedish folk musicians, busking is impromptu jamming in an outdoor setting. (Presumably in summer.)

Subject: RE: Origins of 'Daphne'?
From: Jack Campin
Date: 13 May 11 - 08:24 PM

I first came across "Daphne" in van Eyck, which is a bit before Playford, but according to this he got it from an English ballad of 1610:

http://www.bach.co.jp/vaneycktext.htm

Anyone know what they're referring to?

Remarkable performance of van Eyck's version on Baroque violin in some very unusual setup:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNMY5jeO5K8

That really changes the way I think about this piece (and van Eyck's other variation pieces). If you can get that much darkness and passion into it on the fiddle, you can do it on the recorder too.

The story reminds me a bit of the Maori legend of Uenuku (rainbow god rather than sun god):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uenuku
Uenuku, ancient sculpture

Subject: RE: Origins of 'Daphne'?
From: Tootler
Date: 13 May 11 - 07:35 PM

The tune for Daphne was in the first edition of Playford's Dancing Master and the song was reprinted in Broadsides during the 17th Century.

Subject: RE: Origins of 'Daphne'?
From: GUEST,Alan Whittle
Date: 13 May 11 - 05:13 AM

I seem to remember robert Graves had a fair bit to say about this myth in his book The white Goddess. Basically he was down on a straight Freudian analysis of the story.

Subject: RE: Origins of 'Daphne'?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 13 May 11 - 02:45 AM

Well, the thread was refreshed by a no-text message from an anonymous guest. Maybe, for once, that's a good thing.

Source: http://www.owainphyfe.com

Title: Daphne

Anonymous, 16th century England

The song text is the old mythological story of Daphne turned into a
laurel.

DAPHNE

When Daphne from fair Phoebus did fly,
the West wind most sweetly did blow in her face.
Her silken scarf scarce sheltered her eyes.
The god cried, O pity! and held her in chase.

Stay, nymph, stay, nymph, cried Apollo,
tarry, and turn thee, sweet nymph, stay,
lion or tiger, doth thee follow
turn thy fair eyes and look this way.
O turn, O pretty sweet
and let our red lips meet:
Pity, O Daphne, pity, pity,
pity, O Daphne, pity me.

She gave no ear unto his cry,
but still did neglect him the more he did moan;
though he did entreat, she still did deny,
and earnestly prayed him to leave her alone.
Never, never, cried Apollo,
unless to love thou wilt consent,
and still, with my voice so hollow,
I'll cry to thee while life be spent.
But prove if thou turn to me,
for certes, thy felicity.
Pity, O Daphne, pity, pity,
pity, O Daphne, pity me.

---

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLpG_89y-FQ

The story of Daphne and Apollo is in Wikipedia. Gee, it almost sounds like the story of Arbutus.

Subject: RE: Origins of 'Daphne'?
From: GUEST
Date: 13 May 11 - 02:09 AM

Subject: RE: Origins of 'Daphne'?
From: Murray on Salt Spring
Date: 09 May 99 - 03:59 AM

Buskin is an antique fancy boot. What's this Dufay Collective? The song looks familiar, but I can't place it. The legend, of course, goes back at least to Ovid's Metamorphoses. As for buskers, origin is unknown says my dictionary; though I suppose you can vaguely connect it with the Scots word "busk", meaning "prepare, decorate" (as a bride, for instance).

Subject: Origins of 'Daphne'?
From: harpgirl
Date: 02 May 99 - 06:39 AM

I wonder what the origins of "Daphne" are? It begins
When Daphne from fair Phoebus did fly, the west wind most sweetly did blow in her face...
The Dufay Collective cites it as anon.
and the buskin mentioned...what is that? a bodice? and why are buskers called buskers? harp