Henry Lawes Cavalier Songwriter

by Spink, Ian

• ISBN13: 9780198165569
• ISBN10: 0198165560
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2000-08-10
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• More Book Details

Summary

Henry Lawes (1596-1662) has long been acknowledged as the most important and prolific English songwriter between the death of John Dowland in 1626 and the birth of Henry Purcell in 1659. He is celebrated as Milton's collaborator in Comus (1634). Although he wrote some church music, Lawesssignificance as a composer lies in his settings of many of the choicest lyrics by Cavalier poets such as Carew, Herrick, Suckling, and WallerDSwho, like Lawes himself, belonged to the brilliant court of Charles I. This book combines an account of his life with a study of his development as asongwriter during this fascinating historic period. Following the execution of the King in 1649, Lawes played an important part in establishing concerts in London during the 1650s, and was one of the composers of the first English opera, Davenant's The Siege of Rhodes (1656). At the Restoration heset Zadok the Priest for the coronation of Charles II, but died the following year. The last book on Lawes appeared in 1940, since when the importance of his songs has been increasingly recognizedDSthanks in part to Ian Spink's own previous study, English Song: Dowland to Purcell (1986), and hisedition of Cavalier Songs: 1625-1660 for Musica Britannica.

Author Biography

Ian Spink is Emeritus Professor of the Music Department at Royal Holloway College, London

Table of Contents

List of Music Examples	ix
List of Abbreviations	xi
Pitch and Key Designations	xiii
Introduction	xv
Beginnings	1	(22)
Lawes and the Cavalier Poets	23	(28)
Songs for Masques and Plays	51	(22)
The Civil War	73	(21)
Concerts, Publications, Operas	94	(20)
Sacred Music: Psalms and Anthems	114	(23)
Appendix: Lawes's Last Will and Testament	134	(3)
List of Works	137	(20)
Songs	137	(17)
Sacred Music	154	(2)
Rounds and Catches	156	(1)
Instrumental Pieces	156	(1)
Bibliography	157	(8)
Index	165