Suggested Listening

Shakespeare’s Kingdom  Hyperion #66136
 This CD is a collection of music inspired by Shakespeare, as well as settings of some of his text.  Includes the Ophelia Songs by Johannes Brahms, as well as works by Hector Berlioz, Franz Schubert, Francis Poulenc, Richard Strauss, Camille Saint-Saens, et al.

Incidental Music to A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Felix Mendelssohn. Sony Music #62826. Claudio Abbado, conductor. Berlin Philharmonic.  With Kenneth Branagh

Serenade to Music – Ralph Vaughan Williams. Hyperion #66420.  English Chamber Orchestra.  (Also contains the Five Mystical Songs).
 From The Merchant of Venice, Act V, Scene 1 

Othello – Giuseppe Verdi.  Preiser #90271.  Berlin Radio Symphony.
 This CD contains excerpts from the opera. I normally don’t recommend a recording of excerpts, but this is a good way to get “your feet wet” if you are not a big opera fan!

Music of Shakespeare’s Time: Vocal and Instrumental Works of Elizabethan England
Nonesuch Records HB-73010  (Out of print)

Pleasures of the Court: Festive dance music by Susato and Morley from the times of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I.  The Early Music Consort of London, directed by David Munrow.  Angel Records.  (This is out of print too.  This group does have some good CDs that are in print)

Shakespeare Songs & Consort Music by Byrd, Morley, Wilson, Weelkes, et al. Deller Consort,  Deutsche Harmonia Mundi, 05472 77816 2.
 

Internet Resources

http://cncn.com/homepages/ken_m/shakespeare.html
 This site is designed for students, but it has some good resources, including a search engine that will allow you  to search for words and phrases in Shakespeare’s plays.  It also links to the “Internet Library.”  The complete works of Shakespeare are available on the Net.

http://www-tech.mit.edu/Shakespeare/works.html
 The Shakespeare Homepage. Contains good internet links and the complete works of Shakespeare.
 

Madrigal:
A poetic genre popular with 16th century musicians. Form from Italy, but flourished with the English.  One-stanza poem of free rhyme scheme, using free alternation of 7 and 11 syllable lines.  Dance – like rhythms.  Homophonic, with 2 or 3 verses and a refrain.  (Refrain was sometimes fa-la). Usually pastoral themes.

Leading composers of Madrigals:  Thomas Morley (1557-1602), Thomas Weelkes (ca. 1575 – 1623) and John Wilbye (1574-1628)
 

Consort – 16th and 17th century English term for an instrumental ensemble, usually of 2 or more players.

Examples of instruments of the time: (see separate handout)
Viols, violins, recorders, shawms, sackbuts, lute, cittern and bandora, cornett, krommhorn

Dances had great influence on style and rhythms of the music:  Pavan, Galliard, Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, Gigue are some examples.