Critical Mass spring 2021
Our program is bookended by two Elizabethan pieces: Michael Cavendish’s “Come Gentle Swains” (1601) and William Byrd’s “O Lord, Make Thy Servant Elizabeth” (1560s-70s). Between them, we have two pieces: first Leonhard Lechner's "Grün ist der Mai," (1586) and afterwards, Vittoria Aleotti's "Io vamo vita mia" (1593). Cavendish’s piece, a delightful five-part madrigal, swells softly as each voice polyphonically exhorts the swains and shepherds to celebrate the birthday of Oriana, possibly a stand-in for Elizabeth I. “Come Gentle Swains” builds to a joyous, homophonic climax on the words “Then sang the shepherds and nymphs of Diana,” before spiraling into wishes for her long life. "Grün ist der mai" is an upper voice quartet which celebrates the coming of May. Each verse begins with a whirlwind of repeated phrases, "Grün ist der mai der mancherlei, der mancherlei..." before settling into a more homophonic, yet no less exciting chorus, detailing all the brilliant plans that Nature has put forth for the season. Aleotti, an early female composer, wrote "Io vamo vita mia," which was later cataloged into the larger collection of pieces, "Love Songs of a Renaissance Teenager." The melodramatic descriptions of the singer's love brings listeners back into a hormonal, teenage well of emotions. This is highlighted by the imitative entries by each voice, with voices cadencing together briefly every once in a while before breaking apart into another bout of emotion. Our last piece, “O Lord Make Thy Servant Elizabeth Our Queen” prays for the queen’s long life, as in "Come Gentle Swains," but in a much more solemn register. With a lower, dense 6-part texture, “O Lord Make Thy Servant Elizabeth” is a devoted anthem that honors the queen who provided substantial patronage for Byrd beginning in the 1570s, although Byrd was an openly Catholic composer — and a “recusant” in his refusal to attend Anglican church services — in a hostile England. The importance and fame of this anthem, a lush setting of Psalm 21, testifies to Byrd’s immense skill as a composer and the high place he held in Elizabeth’s court. Lyrics: https://docs.google.com/document/d/12109gfyd4uuAM_c7JkJa_zORCDdbgcACBu8gJv1PM4E/edit?usp=sharing
Our program is bookended by two Elizabethan pieces: Michael Cavendish’s “Come Gentle Swains” (1601) and William Byrd’s “O Lord, Make Thy Servant Elizabeth” (1560s-70s). Between them, we have two pieces: first Leonhard Lechner's "Grün ist der Mai," (1586) and afterwards, Vittoria Aleotti's "Io vamo vita mia" (1593). Cavendish’s piece, a delightful five-part madrigal, swells softly as each voice polyphonically exhorts the swains and shepherds to celebrate the birthday of Oriana, possibly a stand-in for Elizabeth I. “Come Gentle Swains” builds to a joyous, homophonic climax on the words “Then sang the shepherds and nymphs of Diana,” before spiraling into wishes for her long life. "Grün ist der mai" is an upper voice quartet which celebrates the coming of May. Each verse begins with a whirlwind of repeated phrases, "Grün ist der mai der mancherlei, der mancherlei..." before settling into a more homophonic, yet no less exciting chorus, detailing all the brilliant plans that Nature has put forth for the season. Aleotti, an early female composer, wrote "Io vamo vita mia," which was later cataloged into the larger collection of pieces, "Love Songs of a Renaissance Teenager." The melodramatic descriptions of the singer's love brings listeners back into a hormonal, teenage well of emotions. This is highlighted by the imitative entries by each voice, with voices cadencing together briefly every once in a while before breaking apart into another bout of emotion. Our last piece, “O Lord Make Thy Servant Elizabeth Our Queen” prays for the queen’s long life, as in "Come Gentle Swains," but in a much more solemn register. With a lower, dense 6-part texture, “O Lord Make Thy Servant Elizabeth” is a devoted anthem that honors the queen who provided substantial patronage for Byrd beginning in the 1570s, although Byrd was an openly Catholic composer — and a “recusant” in his refusal to attend Anglican church services — in a hostile England. The importance and fame of this anthem, a lush setting of Psalm 21, testifies to Byrd’s immense skill as a composer and the high place he held in Elizabeth’s court. Lyrics: https://docs.google.com/document/d/12109gfyd4uuAM_c7JkJa_zORCDdbgcACBu8gJv1PM4E/edit?usp=sharing