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Thread: Thomas Morley mandolin/mandola duet fantasias (1619)

  1. #1
    Registered User Martin Jonas's Avatar
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    Default Thomas Morley mandolin/mandola duet fantasias (1619)

    These are eight out of the nine fantasias for two instruments from Thomas Morley's "The First Booke Of Canzonets To Two Voyces", published in 1619. In the book, these instrumental pieces are interspersed between the more famous songs ("canzonets") for two voices and are each given an Italian name.

    I have performed these from the transcriptions by Albert Folop for two viols, available for download from IMSLP (along with a scan of Morley's original 1619 book):

    Link

    In the original, all nine pieces are published for "cantus" and "tenor", but Folop has transcribed four of them for two treble viols and the other five for one treble and one tenor viol. I have kept to his choice and have recorded the ones for two trebles as mandolin duets and the ones for treble and tenor as duets of mandolin and mandola (actually octave mandolin/tenor mandola, but the parts do not drop below the low C of the alto mandola so work on either).

    IMSLP is missing one of Folop's parts, the treble part for "Il Grillo", so I have omitted that piece. I attach MP3s for the remaining eight fantasias, also playable through the Cafe's embedded MP3 player:

    1. Il Doloroso (treble/tenor)



    2. La Girandola (treble/treble)

    [MP3=2]http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=102602&d=1369769446[/MP3]

    3. La Rondinella (treble/tenor)

    [MP3=3]http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=102605&d=1369769704[/MP3]

    4. Il Lamento (treble/treble)

    [MP3=4]http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=102601&d=1369769381[/MP3]

    5. La Caccia (treble/tenor)

    [MP3=5]http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=102604&d=1369769615[/MP3]

    6. La Sampogna (treble/treble)

    [MP3=6]http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=102600&d=1369769266[/MP3]

    7. La Sirena, or La Serena (treble/treble)

    [MP3=7]http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=102599&d=1369769166[/MP3]

    8. La Torello, or La Tortorella (treble/tenor)

    [MP3=8]http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=102603&d=1369769537[/MP3]

    Fantasias 1, 3, 5, 8:
    Treble: Mid-Missouri M-0W mandolin (right)
    Tenor: Mid-Missouri M-111 mandola (left)

    Fantasias 2, 4, 6, 7:
    Treble 1: Luigi Embergher mandolin (right)
    Treble 2: Mid-Missouri mandolin (left)

    There are no tempo markings on either Morley's originals or on Folop's transcriptions, so I've played them at the tempos that seemed right to me without reference to other recordings which may have made quite different choices. The Lamento should presumably be fairly slow, but the other names give little indication of musical character.

    Each fantasia has quite a different texture, which makes it interesting to explore them all -- if you don't like the first, try another one.

    If you prefer some pictures with the music, here are all eight pieces in the above order on Youtube, more than 20 minutes of music:




    Martin
    Attached Files Attached Files

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Thomas Morley mandolin/mandola duet fantasias (1619)

    Martin, I really enjoyed these recordings, thanks for sharing. I've had a long attachment to these Morley 2 part pieces, starting with some recorder music that came my way decades ago.

    John G.

  3. #3
    This Kid Needs Practice Bill Clements's Avatar
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    Default Re: Thomas Morley mandolin/mandola duet fantasias (1619)

    Wonderful music, Martin!
    Most generous of you to post your recordings and link to Morley's original book for our enjoyment.
    I enjoyed each one!
    "Music is the only noise for which one is obliged to pay." ~ Alexander Dumas

  4. #4

    Default Re: Thomas Morley mandolin/mandola duet fantasias (1619)

    Thank you, Martin, very nice. Where are you in Wales? I had family who lived a little South of Abertyswyth (spelling?) We were there last year and loved it.

  5. #5
    Registered User Martin Jonas's Avatar
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    Default Re: Thomas Morley mandolin/mandola duet fantasias (1619)

    John/Bill/Curt,

    Thanks for the kind words. These are fun pieces that work well on mandolin.

    Morley has also written another set of six duos at least one of which works well as mandolin duet. These were written 20 years earlier, from his "A Plaine and Easie Introduction to Practicall Musicke" (1597). Those were also transcribed by Folop and are at IMSLP:

    Link

    I recorded No. 6 a couple of weeks ago and had posted a Youtube link on another thread, but here is the MP3, to keep them together:

    [MP3=9]http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=102632&d=1369811186[/MP3]

    I haven't got to grips with the other five duets yet; they are rhythmically a bit trickier on instruments of little sustain because of long sustained notes alternating with fast semiquaver phrases.

    Martin

    PS: Curt -- I'm in Flintshire, up near Chester in the North.
    Attached Files Attached Files

  6. #6

    Default Re: Thomas Morley mandolin/mandola duet fantasias (1619)

    I have always LOVED these Morley pieces since I played a few on treble viol back in my college days....they sound wonderful on mandolin! THANK YOU!
    "There are two refuges from the miseries of life--music and cats" Albert Schweitzer

  7. #7
    Registered User Martin Jonas's Avatar
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    Default Re: Thomas Morley mandolin/mandola duet fantasias (1619)

    After the instrumental fantasias, I have now also recorded all twelve of the vocal canzonets for two voices from the same collection (which incidentally I see is dated 1595, not 1619 as I said above -- Morley died in 1602), with the same instrumentation.

    My earlier recording also missed out on one of the nine fantasias, "Il Grillo", which I have now also included as a coda at the end of this video, i.e. between the two posts I have recorded every piece in Morley's collection of duo canzonets and fantasias.

    I have performed these from the transcriptions by Albert Folop for two viols, available for download from IMSLP (along with a scan of Morley's original 1619 book):

    Link

    I have recorded the following canzonets, in this order, including start time if you want to listen to a specific song on the video (or else just use the Cafe's embedded MP3 player):

    1. Go Yee My Canzonets (treble/treble), 0:00

    [MP30]http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=102815&d=1370204352[/mp3]

    2. When Loe, By Breake of Morning (treble/treble), 1:53

    [MP31]http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=102813&d=1370204206[/mp3]

    3. Sweet Nymphe Come to Thy Lover (treble/treble), 4:01

    [MP32]http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=102812&d=1370203621[/mp3]

    4. I goe Before My Darling (treble/treble), 5:34

    [MP33]http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=102811&d=1370203565[/mp3]

    5. Miraculous Love's Wounding (treble/treble), 7:22

    [MP34]http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=102810&d=1370203503[/mp3]

    6. Lo Heere Another Love (treble/treble), 10:15

    [MP35]http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=102809&d=1370203402[/mp3]

    7. Leave Now Mine Eyes Lamenting (treble/tenor), 12:12

    [MP36]http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=102808&d=1370203334[/mp3]

    8. Fyre and Lightning (treble/treble), 14:19

    [MP37]http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=102807&d=1370203263[/mp3]

    9. Flora Wilt Thou Torment Mee? (treble/treble), 15:48

    [MP38]http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=102806&d=1370203209[/mp3]

    10. In Nets of Golden Wyers (treble/tenor), 18:01

    [MP39]http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=102805&d=1370203133[/mp3]

    11. O Thou That Art So Cruell (treble/tenor), 20:46

    [mp3=20]http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=102804&d=1370203029[/mp3]

    12. I Should for Greife (treble/tenor), 23:11

    [mp3=21]http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=102802&d=1370202948[/mp3]

    13. Fantasia: Il Grillo (treble/tenor), 24:57

    [mp3=22]http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=102814&d=1370204286[/mp3]

    Songs 7, 10-13:
    Treble: Mid-Missouri M-0W mandolin (right)
    Tenor: Mid-Missouri M-111 mandola (left)

    Fantasias 1-6, 8-9:
    Treble 1: Luigi Embergher mandolin (right)
    Treble 2: Mid-Missouri mandolin (left)

    The above is the order in which the songs are in Morley's collection, but possibly not the optimum sequence for listening -- it starts with four rather jaunty songs which are somewhat similar, with the more melancholy ones coming later. I suggest dipping into a few to get an impression of the range of moods.

    Here is the video with all songs:



    The words to the songs are:

    1.
    Go ye my canzonets to my dear darling
    And with your gentle dainty sweet accentings,
    Desire her to vouchsafe these my lamentings,
    And with a crownet, of her rays supernal,
    T'adorn your locks and make your name eternal.

    2.
    When lo, by break of morning,
    My love, herself adorning,
    Doth walk the woods so dainty
    Gath'ring sweet violets and cowslips plenty,
    The birds, enamour'd, sing and praise my Flora:
    Lo, here a new Aurora.

    3.
    Sweet nymph come to thy lover,
    Lo, here alone our loves we may discover,
    Where the sweet Nightingale with wanton glosses,
    Hark! her love too discloses.

    4.
    I go before, my darling,
    Follow thou to the bower in the close alley,
    There we will together
    Sweetly kiss each other,
    And, like two wantons,
    Dally, dally, dally...

    5.
    Miraculous love's wounding.
    E'en those darts, my sweet Phillis,
    So fiercely shot against my heart, rebounding,
    Are turn'd to roses, violets and lilies,
    With odour sweet abounding.
    Miraculous love's wounding.

    6.
    Lo here another love from heaven descended.
    That with forces anew and with new darting,
    doth wound the heart, and yet doth breed no smarting.

    7.
    Leave now mine eyes lamenting,
    your tears do but augment this my lamenting.
    Death, come thou relieve me.
    Alas to live forsaken thus doth grieve me,
    Ah see now where he lieth,
    Then farewell false unkind, farewell thy Flora dieth.

    8.
    Fire and lightning from heaven fall,
    And sweetly enflame that heart with love arightful
    Of Flora my delightful,
    So fair but yet so spiteful.

    9.
    Flora wilt thou torment me,
    And yet must I content me.
    And shall I have no pleasure,
    Of that thy beauty's treasure.
    Lo then I die
    and dying thus complain me,
    Flora gentle and fair,
    Alas hath slain me.

    10.
    In nets of golden wyers,
    with Pearl and Ruby spangled,
    My heart entangled,
    Cries and help requires,
    Sweet love from out those briars,
    But thou vouchsafe to free me,
    Ere long alive,
    alas thou shalt not see me.

    11.
    O thou that art so cruel,
    My dainty lovely jewel,
    Why thus in my tormenting,
    Dost thou still use relenting?
    Alas, right out come slay me:
    Do not thus still from time to time delay me,
    Alas, right out come slay me.

    12.
    I should for grief and anguish die recureless,
    That day I missed my Flora fair and sightly,
    Clearer than is the sun that shines so brightly.

    Martin

    [10 MP3s attached here, the other three to the next post]

  8. #8
    Registered User Martin Jonas's Avatar
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    Default Re: Thomas Morley mandolin/mandola duet fantasias (1619)

    Here are the remaining three Mp3s from the previous post.

    Martin
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