Peter
The English song composers in the transitional period between Dowland and
Purcell invariably suffer because they are compared with the two great ones:
it's not Dowland any more, but not quite Purcell yet. Ian Spink, too, tends
to use these two composers as a reference in his judgement. But when we see
his volume in the MB series, I can only conclude he does love the
repertoire, as it appears to me to be a labour of love. He also editied the
song volume in the Novello Purcell Society series, by the way. If you read
between the grumbling lines of a specialist, there's still a good deal to
learn, I think. But as you say, of course it's better to play the music than
to read about it.
David
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David van Ooijen
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.davidvanooijen.nl
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter Martin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Lute list" <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, July 27, 2008 12:02 PM
Subject: [LUTE] Re: More on lute songs
The Spink book is depressing because he doesn't like the music. Open the
book at random:
"The conclusion seems inescapable then, that Blow, as a song writer, fails
at all levels ... he just has not got what it takes" (p. 251)
"There is, however, little to say in favour of Francis Forcer, whose
numerous songs are among the feeblest written by any composer of the
period"
(p.178)
"[Lanier] shows incompetence, or, at least, misjudgement in his handling
of
words and a rather jejune taste" (p. 106)
"Many of the contents of [Pilkington's] First Booke of Songs (1605) are
rather turgid" (p.33)
And so on. Miserable. Frankly, I would avoid Spink and spend the time on
the music instead.
P
2008/7/27 LGS-Europe <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Bruno wrote:
Thanks for the info! Is the book from Ian Spink still availlable? I only
find used ones...
I wouldn't know. I found mine 18 years ago, new, in 'De Slegte', the
Dutch
bookshop that stocks what we call shop daughters: remains from normal
shops
and publishers that are sold cheaply as the profit for the production of
the
first print has been made. It's cheaper for the publishers to sell these
under normal price and to make room in their warehouses for new books
than
to keep these in stock. But a decent library should have it for you. The
Musica Britannica can also be found in any decent library. These volumes
are
rather expensive: something like 130 euros I think.
David - finds his own cds as shop daughters occasionally ;-)
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David van Ooijen
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.davidvanooijen.nl
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There's a nice little booklet by Ian Spink on the repertoire you're
interested in. It's called 'English Song, Dowland to Purcell'
(Batsford,
London 1974). And check out the MB series part XXXIII: English Songs
1625-1660 (edited by the same Ian Spink) for a taste of what happenend
between the lute songs of Dowland and the continuo songs of Purcell.
David
****************************
David van Ooijen
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.davidvanooijen.nl
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