Shakespeare and Music Part 25

2. Divisions on a Ground Ba.s.s for viol-da-gamba, by Christopher Sympson, 1665, see p. 28. _Rom._ III, v, 25.

[Music]

The 'Ground' itself is in large notes, the necessary chords (which were _never_ written down) are indicated in small notes. This the Organist or Harpsichordist plays again and again, as often as necessary.

Here is a Division for the Viol, such as the player would produce _extempore_, with the above Ground before him.

Division No. 1.

[Music]

Division No. 3 (more elaborate).

[Music]

3. Example of Sol-Fa, 16th and 17th centuries, see p. 35. _Lear_ I, ii, 137.

[Music: Fa sol la fa sol la MI fa fa sol la fa sol la MI fa etc.]

The augmented fourths formed by the notes fa and mi, marked with x, are the _mi contra fa_, which _diabolus est_, or 'is the _divider_,'

see p. 36.

Solmisation of the six notes of the Hexachord, 11th century, see p.

37. _Shrew_ III, i, 72.

[Music: (Natural Hexachord) Ut Re Mi Fa Sol La

(Hard Hexachord) Ut Re Mi Fa Sol La]

The six notes from F, with B _flat_, were called the 'Soft' Hexachord.

4. Lesson for the Lute, by Thomas Mace, b. 1613, from Musick's Monument, 1676, see p. 55. _Shrew_ III, i, 58.

[Music: "My Mistress."]

_Cf._ p. 30, on 'Broken' music.

5. Tune of Light o' Love, original words not known, but date before 1570, p. 70. _Much Ado_ V, iv, 41, etc.

[Music]

6. Parson Hugh's song, 'To Shallow Rivers,' tune anonymous, date probably 16th century, p. 71. _Merry Wives_ III, i, 18.

[Music:

To shallow rivers to whose falls Melodious birds sing madrigals; There will we make our beds of roses, And a thousand fragrant posies.

When as I sat in Babylon, And a thousand vagram posies.]

7. 'Come Live with Me,' tune printed 1612, but probably much older.

See p. 71. Marlowe's 'Pa.s.sionate Pilgrim,' XX., or _Merry Wives_ III, i, 18.

[Music:

Come live with me, and be my love, And we will all the pleasures prove, That hills and valleys, dales and fields, And all the craggy mountain yields.]

8. Peg-a-Ramsey, p. 71. _Tw. Nt._ II, iii, 76.

[Music: Sir Toby]

9. 'Three Merry Men be We,' p. 71. _Tw. Nt._ II, iii, 76. Words from Peele's 'Old Wives Tale,' 1595, where it is sung. Music from J.

Playford, 1650 _circ._, but may be older.

[Music: Sir Toby

Three merry men, and three merry men, and three merry men be we, I in the wood and thou on the ground, And Jack sleeps in the tree.]

10. 'There Dwelt a Man in Babylon,' p. 71. _Tw. Nt._ II, iii, 80.

Music anon., but most probably later than Shakespeare's time.

[Music: Sir Toby

_slow_

Til-ly val-ley, Lady!

_lively_

There dwelt a man in Bab-y-lon, in Bab-y-lon, in Bab-y-lon, There dwelt a man in Bab-y-lon, Lady! Lady! Lady!]

Here is one verse of the 'Ballad of Constant Susanna,' to which Toby refers.

'There dwelt a man in Babylon Of reputation great by fame; He took to wife a faire woman, Susanna she was callde by name.

A woman faire and vertuous, Lady, lady!

Why should we not of her learn thus To live G.o.dly?'

11. 'Farewell, Dear Heart,' p. 72. _Tw. Nt._ II, iii, 102.

[Music:

Toby

Farewell dear heart, since I must needs be gone,

Clown

His eyes do shew his days are almost done.

Toby