Listening
Miguel de Fuenllana, “Paseábase el rey” (lute song)
Performed by Pepe Becker, soprano and Stephen Pickett, Renaissance guitar [Listen on YouTube]
Here is the text and translation:
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Paseábase el rey moro Por la ciudad de Granada. Cartas le fueron venidas Como Alhama era ganada. Ay! Mi Alhama! |
The Moorish king was walking Through the city of Granada. Letters had come to him How Alhama had been taken. Alas! my Alhama! |
John Dowland, “What if I never speed?” (lute song)
Listen to these different performances.
- Performed by the Consort of Musike dir. Anthony Rooley, Andrew King, tenor. [Listen on YouTube]
- Performed by Anne Sofie von Otter and Jakob Lindberg. [Listen on YouTube]
Here is the text:
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What if I never speed, Shall I straight yield to despair, And still on sorrow feed That can no loss repair? Or shall I change my love, For I find power to depart, And in my reason prove I can command my heart? But if she will pity my desire and my love requite, Then ever shall she live my dear delight. Come, come, come, while I have a heart to desire thee. Come, come, come, for either I will love or admire thee.
Oft have I dreamed of joy, yet I never felt the sweete, But tired with annoy, my griefs each other greete. Oft have I left my hope, as a wretch by fate forlorn, But Love aims at one scope, and lost will still returne. He that once loves with a true desire never can depart, For Cupid is the king of every heart. Come, come, come, while I have a heart to desire thee. Come, come, come, for either I will love or admire thee. |
Giovanni Gabrieli, “In ecclesiis” (motet)
Performed in collaboration by the Arp Schnitger Ensemble, Oltremontano, and the Gesualdo Consort. Listen to 0:00–3:37 only: [Listen on YouTube]
Recall the definition of a motet from week 2:
Motet:
A sacred, polyphonic composition with a Latin text.
Here is the text and translation (from Historical Anthology of Music, edited by Archibald T. Davison and Willi Apel (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1947), pp. 175–178; 252.):
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Our excerpt: In ecclesiis benedicite Domino. Alleluia. In omni loco dominationis benedic anima mea Dominum. Alleluia. In Deo salutari meo et gloria mea. Deus auxilium meum, et spes mea in Deo est. Alleluia.
Closing section of this work: Deus noster, te invocamus, te adoramus, Libera nos, salva nos, vivifica nos. Alleluia. Deus adiutor noster in aeternum. Alleluia. |
Our excerpt: Praise the Lord in the congregation. Alleluia. In every place of worship praise him. Alleluia. In God, who is my salvation and glory, is my help, and my hope is in God. Alleluia.
Closing section of this work: May God, we invoke thee, we worship thee; liberate us, deliver us, revive us. Alleluia. God our advocate in eternity. Alleluia. |
Remember that musical elements include the following:
- Melody (pitch)
- Rhythm/beat/meter
- Timbre / tone color (Instrumentation, including the human voice)
- Texture (monophonic, polyphonic)
- Harmony (more than one sonority sounding simultaneously. Here you can think about whether the simultaneous sonorities sound consonant or dissonant to your ear.)
Reading
Who is Miguel de Fuenllana?
“Fuenllana, Miguel de.” Baker’s Biographical Dictionary of Musicians, edited by Nicolas Slonimsky and Laura Kuhn, vol. 2, Schirmer, 2001, p. 1195. Gale eBooks.
Who is Dowland?
“Dowland, John.” Baker’s Biographical Dictionary of Musicians, edited by Nicolas Slonimsky and Laura Kuhn, vol. 2, Schirmer, 2001, p. 927. Gale eBooks.
Wider Context
OPTIONAL: For a wider context, see Oxford Reference for timelines of world history by century
