Giles Farnaby (1612): Spagnioletta & Tower Hill

**Martin Jonas** · Mar-07-2015, 6:47pm

Here are another two pieces from the Fitzwilliam Virginals Book, both written by Giles Farnaby (1562-1640), probably the composer most closely associated with this collection, as 51 of his 52 known compositions appear in it.

1) Tower Hill:

This is a simple and short, but very catchy little melody, which I have played as a trio of mandolin, tenor guitar and mandocello. Arrangement by Steve Hendricks:

http://sca.uwaterloo.ca/Hendricks/Fi...t/towerhil.pdf

Mid-Missouri M-0W mandolin
Ozark tenor guitar
Suzuki MC-815 mandocello

2) Spagnioletta [LIV]:

This one is a bit more intricate. Played as a quartet of two mandolins, tenor guitar and mandocello:

http://sca.uwaterloo.ca/Hendricks/Fi...m/spagniol.pdf

Mid-Missouri M-0W mandolin
1915 Luigi Embergher mandolin
Ozark tenor guitar
Suzuki MC-815 mandocello

Martin

**tmsweeney** · Mar-08-2015, 8:29am

very cool - I think it was Penguin Cafe Orchestra did a Farnabey piece on one of their records back in the days of vinyl.

**Martin Jonas** · Mar-08-2015, 3:07pm

Originally Posted by tmsweeney

very cool - I think it was Penguin Cafe Orchestra did a Farnabey piece on one of their records back in the days of vinyl.

Thanks! Yes, the Penguin Cafe Orchestra recorded "Giles Farnaby's Dream" on their 1976 debut album "Music From The Penguin Cafe". Mainly because of this, that's Farnaby's best-known composition. It also gave its name to the short-lived folk/jazz/early music crossover group "Giles Farnaby's Dream Band".

I've just recorded "Giles Farnaby's Dream" as well, again in an arrangement from Steve Hendricks:

Giles Farnaby (1563-1640): Giles Farnaby's Dreame
From the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book (c. 1612), No. CXCIV (the very last piece, in fact)

http://sca.uwaterloo.ca/Hendricks/Fi...t/gfsdrea2.pdf

I have played it as a trio of two mandolins and mandocello:

Mid-Missouri M-0W mandolin
1915 Luigi Embergher mandolin
Suzuki MC-815 mandocello

I really like this one, it has a certain transcendental calm and serene simplicity, and one can see why it appealed to 1970s folkies. Also, very easy to play. The bass part is also unusually interesting, ranging over a full two octaves from the low D on the bottom course of my 'cello to the fifth fret on the top course.

Martin