Taco Tuesday #109: We're serious about these tacos
Danny Johnson
Got any tacos, guv’nor?
Welp, we’re (I’m) a week behind schedule. Sorry! We had a good TEMP-Oh! Madrigal Sing last week so I guess I let that stand in TEMPorarily for the Taco. Back on track now, and we’re featuring the third Taco on the 2023 season opener! (Don’t worry – it’s all fresh ingredients. No microwaves employed.)
London City Limits: Town & Country
October 7 & 8, 2023
We began our 2023-2024 season of concerts with this lively celebration of music in England during the time frame of about 1580–1680; this is music of the people, a little bit from the courts and cathedrals, and definitely music of the pubs. The previous tacos from this concert have focused on the more light-hearted pieces, so let’s have some ‘serious’ offerings! I mean, we’re ‘serious’ about all of them…
Although William Byrd (1539/40–1623) lived well into the 17th century, his compositional style remained rooted in the Renaissance. Following Pope Pius V’s 1570 papal bull that absolved Elizabeth’s subjects from allegiance to her and effectively made her an outlaw in the eyes of the Catholic Church, Catholicism became increasingly identified with sedition in the eyes of the Tudor authorities. Byrd’s staunch adherence to Catholicism did not prevent him from contributing prolifically to the repertory of Anglican church music or secular masterpieces, renowned for their singable lines. Although not a madrigal, our first partsong is filled with imitation, text painting, and surprising dissonances created via chromaticism (just as the text suggests.)
Come wofull Orpheus 🙞 William Byrd (1539/40–1623), Psalmes, Songs, and Sonnets, no. 19
London: Thomas Snodham, 1611
Singers
Come wofull Orpheus with thy charming Lyre,
And tune my voyce unto thy skilfull wyre,
Some strange Cromatique Notes doe you devise
That best with mournefull accents sympathize,
Of sowrest Sharps, and uncouth Flats, make choise,
And I’ll thereto compassionate my voyce.
John Wilbye (1574–1638) was heavily influenced by Morley’s lighter compositions (canzonets) and yet was able to incorporate the lightness of style into longer, more dramatic works through repetition (with sequencing and alterations) and modal changes. He never loses balance or control and maintains poise throughout the darkest melancholy. Draw on, Sweet Night includes some atypical and unusually effective techniques for the time, especially the return of the opening melodic and textual material.
Draw on, Sweet Night 🙞 John Wilbye (1574-1638); The Second Set of Madrigals for 3-6 voices, no. 31
London: Thomas Este alias Snodham, for John Browne, 1609
Singers
Draw on, Sweet Night, best friend unto those cares|
That do arise from painful melancholy.
My life so ill through want of comfort fares,
That unto thee I consecrate it wholly.
Sweet Night, draw on! My griefs when they be told
To shades and darkness find some ease from paining,
And while thou all in silence dost enfold,
I then shall have best time for my complaining.
This change of pace is a popular country dance tune found in The English Dancing-Master, which originally contained 104 dances and accompanying tunes set to the fiddle; Playford published it in 1650, but the collection is dated 1651. This popular and frequently expanded collection of music and dance steps remains the principal source of knowledge of English country dance steps and melodies to this day.
Newcastle 🙞 arr. John Playford (1623–c. 1687), arr. D. Johnson; The English Dancing Master, f. 77
London: Thomas Harper, 1651
Instruments
We will be back in approximately exactly two weeks featuring hits from a concert to be determined! In the meantime, have you gotten your tickets yet for our holiday concert in December? Join us for Joy & Light on December 14 and 15! Stay safe, stay sane! Happy Thanksgiving! Remember, pumpkin spice everything!
Danny
Joy and Light
Saturday, December 14, 2024 at 7:30pm at St. Martin’s Lutheran Church
Sunday, December 15, 2024 at 3:00pm at Redeemer Presbyterian Church