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Friday, August 31, 2007

London's Burning!

September 2nd 2007 is the 341st anniversary of the outbreak of the Fire of London, which was witnessed and described by Samuel Pepys in his Diary. Some historians suggest that, while the fire wreaked terrible devastation on the city, it also burned away much of the slum accommodation that had provided a haven for the flea-carrying rats which acted as a significant vector for plague outbreaks.



In World War II while the Nazis battled to raze London as a symbol of British pride, the population of the city endured nightly air raids often sheltering in underground (Tube) stations, or hastily erected family shelters in their gardens.

The resilience of the spirit of Londoners has long been celebrated, and whether recovering from a devastating city-wide fire, or the aftermath of a terrorist bomb in Hyde Park, the attitude of the Londoner seems to be summed up by the typical image of someone taking in a shocked neighbour to sit down with a cup of hot, sweet tea before sorting out the practical details.

X:62 % number
T:Maybe it's because I'm a Londoner % title
C: % composer
O: % origin.
M:4/4 % meter
L:1/4 % length of shortest note
Q:180 % tempo
K:A % key
V:1 % voice 1
zA =G>=F | D z _E<=E | =c2 =A2 | G2 =A2 | z A G
w:May-be it's be-cause I'm a Lon-don-er, that I love Lon-don so, May-be it's
G
A | =G>=F D z | A>G =G>=F | D2 A A/=G/ | =F =G2 z |
w:be-cause I'm a Lon-don-er, That I think of 'er, wher-ev-er I go,
G
A | =G>=F D2 | _E<=E =c2 | A2 G2 | A2 z z |
w:I get a fun-ny feel-in' in-side o' me Just walk-in' up an' down,
=c>A =c>A | =c2 _B>A | d>_B =G2 | d2 =c2 | d2 A2 | =G2 =F z |]
w:May-be it's be-cause I'm a Lon-don-er, That I love Lon-don Town!


To convert the code above to sheet music, or listen to the tunes, copy the code for a single song, then paste it here and [submit].

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Songs from the Labyrinth

Anyone who follows the career of Sting will know that in 2006 he released an album of lute songs by John Dowland, one of the rockstars of his day.

The label "Renaissance", meaning rebirth, a time of exploring new ideas was applied by historians long after the time it applied to. If your appetite has already been whetted by Sting's album, I hope you will enjoy further exploring the music of this most remarkable period, and if not, I hope to entice you to sample this music which gives us a chance to share, at a distance, the hopes and dreams of the men and women who lived during one of the most important moments in European history.

One of the most important developments of the Renaissance was the exploration of the possibilities of polyphonic music; a breaking with the tradition of a single melodic line in favour of weaving melodies together to create harmonies, sometimes surprising, sometimes uncomfortable to the modern ear, but to the listeners of the time, excitingly new. The golden age of polyphonic music produced not only the genius of Dowland, but also men like William Byrd, Thomas Tallis, Claudio Monteverdi in Italy, and Michael Praetorius in Germany. In France, a book was printed (Orchésographie) which not only aimed to teach the popular dances of the day, along with some of the necessary musical theory, but also included some of the music for the dances which would eventually be adapted by the Twentieth Century composer Peter Warlock (Philip Heseltine) in his "Capriol Suite" named after the character of the student in the book. Here, from Thoinot Arbeau's* Orchésographie, is his pavane "Belle qui tiens ma vie" in abcPlus notation:

X:59 % number
T:Belle qui tients ma vie % title
C:Thoinot Arbeau % composer
N:Thoinot Arbeau was an anagram of Jehan de Tabourot
N:A professor of mathematics
O:Orchésographie % origin.
S:Transcribed from an arrangement by Karl Aloritias.
M:C| % meter
L:1/4 % length of shortest note
Q: % tempo
K:F % key
V:1 name=Soprano sname=sop. % voice 1
V:2 name=Alto sname=alt.
V:3 name=Tenor sname=ten.
V:4 name=Bass sname=bass clef=bass
[V:1]|: G2 G ^F | G A B2 | B d c B | B A B2 :|
w:1.Bel-le qui tiens ma vi-e Cap-ti-ve dans tes yeulx,
w:2.Pour-quo fuis tu, mi-gnar-de, Si je suis pres de toi?
w:3.Tes beau-tes et ta gra-ces Et tes di-vins pro-pos
w:4.Mon am-e vou-lait e-tre Li-bre de pas-si-on
w:5.Ap-pro-che donc ma bell-e, Ap-pro-che toi mon bien,
w:6.Je meurs, mon An-ge-let-te, Je meurs en te bais-ant
w:7.Plu-tot on ver-ra l'on-de Con-tre-mont re-cul-er,
[V:2]|: D2 D D | D F F2 | F F E F | G F F2 :|
[V:3]|: B2 B A | B c d2 | d B G d | c c d2 :|
[V:4]|: G,2 G, D, | G, F, B,,2 | B,, B,, C, D, | _E, F, B,,2 :|
%
[V:1]B2 A A | G G F2 | D2 E/F/ G | G ^F G2 |
w:1.Qui m'as l'ame ra-vi-e D'un sour--ris gra-ci-eux,
w:2.Quand tes yeux je re-garde Je me* perds de-dans moi,
w:3.Ont echauf-fé la gla-ce Qui me* ge-lait les os,
w:4.Mais l'a-mour s'est fait maitre De mes* af-fec-ti-ons
w:5.Ne me sois plus re-belle Puis-que mon co-eur est tien,
w:6.Ta bou-che tant dou-cette Va mon* bien rav-is-sant
w:7.Et plu-tot l'oeil du monde Ce-s-se-ra de bru-ler,
[V:2]F2 F F | D _E D2| D2 C D | D D [D2=B,2]|
[V:3]d2 c d | B c A2 | B2 G B | A A [=B2G2]|
[V:4]B,2 F, D, | G, C, D,2 | B,2 C, G,, | D, D, G,,2|
%
[V:1]B2 A A | G G ^F2 | D2 =E/^F/ G | G ^F G2 |]
w:1.Viens tot me se-cou-rir Ou me* fau-dra mou-rir.
w:2.Car tes per-fec-ti-on Chan-gent* mes ac-ti-ons
w:3.Et ont rem-pli mon coeur D'une a--mou-reuse ar-deur.
w:4.Et a mis sous sa loi Et mon* coeur et ma foi.
w:5.Pour mon mal ap-pais-er Don-ne* moi un bai-ser.
w:6.A ce coup mes es-prits Sont tous* d'a-mour e-pris.
w:7.Que l'a-mour qui m'e-point De-crois--se d'un seul point.
[V:2]_B,2 F F | D _E D2 | F2 E D | D D D2 |]
[V:3]d2 c d | B c A2 | B2 G B | A A [=B2G2]|]
[V:4]G,2 F, D, | G, C, D,2 | B,,2 C, G,, | D, D, G,,2 |]

Thomas Campion was a good example of the type we might call a "renaissance man" if he were alive today. A student of both law, and medicine, he was also a talented musician and poet who may have been a victim of one of the many plagues that devastated London in the sixteenth century. From the lute book of Jane Pickering, I would like to offer his "What if a day or a moneth or a yeare" in abcPlus notation:

X:60 % number
T:What if a day or a moneth or a year % title
C:Thomas Campion % composer
O:Jane Pickering's Lute book % origin.
M:C % meter
L:1/4 % length of shortest note
Q: % tempo
K:C % key
V:1 % voice 1
V:2 clef=treble merge
[V:1]|:A ^G/A/ [B^G] A/B/ | c d/c/ [B2^G2E2] |[cA] B/c/ d c/d/ |
w:What if a day or a moneth or a yeare crown Thy de-lights with a
w:Can-not a chance of a night or an howre crosse thy de-sires with a
[V:2]|:[E2A,2] E,2 | [A2A,2][E,2] | A,2 [G2G,2]|
[V:1] ee dc |B2 [A2E2]:|ee [dG][dG]|
w:thou-sand sweet con-tent-ings? For-tune, hon-our,
w:thous-and sweet tor-ment-ings?
[V:2][G2C2]G,A,|E E, A,2 :|[c2C2] G, G, |
[V:1][cA][cA][B2^G2E2]| cd eg|[^f2B2] [e2B2^G2E2]||
w:beau-ty, youth, are but blos-soms dy-ing;
[V:2] A A E,2 |[A2A,2]CE|[^D2B,2][B,2E,2] ||
[V:1]|:[cA]d[e2G2]|[BG]c[d2G2]|AB c d/c/ |B2 [A2E2]:|]
w:Wan-ton pleasure, doat-ing love, are but sha-d-ows fly-ing.
w:All our joyes are but toyes, id-le thoughts de--ceiv-ing;
w:None have power of an howre in their lives be--reav-ing.
[V:2]|:A, B, C2 |G,A, B,2 |[E2A,2][A2A,2] |EE, A,2 :|]
W:
W:Earthe's but a point to the world, and a man
W:Is but a point to the world's compared centure:
W:Shall then a point of a point be so vaine
W:As to triumph in a seely point's adventure?
W:All is hassard that we have,
W:There is nothing biding.
W:Dayes of pleasure are like streames
W:Through faire meadowes gliding.
W:Weal and woe, time doth goe,
W:Time is ever turning;
W:Secret fates guide our states,
W:Both in mirth and mourning.

And since you have been patient enough to read this unusually long entry, I hope you will not be disappointed by my transcription of John Dowland's "Pavana Lachrimae Antiquae", one of his "Seven Teares", in abcPlus notation:

X:61 % number
T:Pavana Lachrimae Antiquae % title
C:John Dowland % composer
O:Second Booke of Songs or Ayres (1600) % origin.
M:2/2 % meter
L:1/4 % length of shortest note
Q:1/2=60 % tempo
V:1 % voice 1 - recorder
V:2 T=-12 % lute 1st voice
V:3 clef=treble merge T=-12 % lute 2nd voice
K:C % key
[V:1]|: A3 G/F/ | E2 c2-|c2 B A | ^G4 |
w:1.Flow, my* tears, fall_ from your springs!
w:2.Down, vain de-lights, shine_ you no more!
[V:2]|:[A3E3] G/F/ | z2 c2- |c2 B A |[^G4E4]|
[V:3]|:C3 B, | [E2C2-]C E-|E D/C/ D2 | B,4 |
%
[V:1]A2 E2-|E E =G G | F2 D2 | E3 B |
w:Ex-iled* for ev-er let me mourn, Where
w:No nights* are dark e-nough for those That
[V:2][A2E2]E2-| E E [=GE][GE]| F2 D2 | E3 B |
[V:3]C4 | C2- C C | D C B, A,| B,4 |
%
[V:1]c2 A2 | B2 ^G2 | A c-c/ B/ A | ^G2 c2 |
w:night's black-bird her sad in--fa-my sings, There
w:in des-pair their lost for--tunes de-plore. Light
[V:2]c2 [A2E2C2] | [B2][^G2E2] | A c-c/B/ A | [^G2E2] z c |
[V:3]z4 | D2 B,2 | E2 D2 | B,2 [E2C2] |
%
[V:1]B A A2-|A ^G/^F/ G2 | A4-|A4 :|
w:let me live_ for--lorn__
w:doth but shame_ dis--close__
[V:2][BD][AC] A2-|A/A/^G/^F/ G/ A G/ | [L:1/8][A3E3^C3] G/F/ EDCB, | [L:1/4][A4E4^C4] :|
[V:3] z2 B, A,|B,3 D | z4 | z4 :|
%
[V:1]|: c3 B | A G c2-|c B/A/ B2 | c2 G2 |
w:3.Nev-er may my woes_ be_ re-liev-ed,
w:4.From the high-est spire_ of_ con-tent-ment
[V:2]|:c3 B | A G [c2G2] | c/c/B/A/ B/ c B/ | c2 G2 |
[V:3]|:[E4C4]| [E2C2] E2 | F3 F | E4 |
%
[V:1]z A2 ^G | A F E2 | z D F2 | z F A2 |
w:Since pi-ty is fled; And tears and sighs
w:My for-tune is thrown; And fear and grief
[V:2]z A-A/A/ ^G | A z3 |z D F2 | z F A2 |
[V:3]z [E-C][E2B,2]| [EC][FA,-][E2A,2]|z2 A,2 | z A, C2 |
%
[V:1]z A c2 | z G B>c | d2 z D | F>G A2 |
w:and groans my wea-ry days, my wea-ry days
w:and pain for my de-serts, for my de-serts
[V:2]z [AC] c2 | z G B>c | d2 z2 | F>G A2 |
[V:3]z2 E C | E>F G2 | z D2 D| z D (C [FC])|
%
[V:1]z c2 B | c>B A/^G/ A | ^G4-|G4 :|
w:Of all joys have de--priv-ed__
w:Are my hopes since hope_ is gone.__
[V:2]z c2 B | c>B A/^G/ A | ^G4 | [^G4E4B,4] :|
[V:3]z E/D/ E [EB,]| E/D/ C2 B,/A,/ | [EB,]>E D/C/B,/A,/ | z4 :|
%
[V:1]|: ^G3 A | B2 c2 | B A A2-|A ^G/^F/ G2 |
w:Hark! you sha-dows that in dark--ness__
[V:2]|: ^G3 A | B2 c2 | B A A2-|A/A/^G/^F/ G2 |
[V:3]|: E4 | E4 | G>F E D| E4 |
%
[V:1]A3 c | B c A2 | ^G4 | z4 |
w:dwell, Learn to con-temn light.
[V:2] A3 c | B c A2 | ^G4 | z4 |
[V:3] C/B,/C/D/ E>F | G2 C D | B, E2 B,| C2 [G2B,2-]|
%
[V:1] z2 e2-|e B d2-|d A c2 | B2 A2 |
w:Hap--py, hap--py they that in
[V:2] z2 e2-|e B d2-|d A c2 | B2 A2 |
[V:3] [GB,][C-A,-][C2A,2]|D3 E |F3 E-| E B, C A, |
%
[V:1] ^G2 c2 | B A A2-| A ^G/^F/ G2 | A4-|A4 :|
w:hell Feel not the world's_ de----spite._
[V:2] ^G2 z c | B A A2-|A/A/^G/^F/ G/ A G/ | [L:1/8][A3E3^C3] F EFDE | [L:1/4][A4E4^C4] :|
[V:3] [E2B,2][E2C2]| D C B, A,|E2-E D | z4 | z4 :|

Unfortunately, the Convert-A-Matic, to which I normally provide a link so that you can make your own sheet music from the notation, may not be able to cope with abcPlus notation, however I recommend Joop Cooleghem's abcEdit freeware, which provides facilities to produce sheet music in PDF, hard copy, and MIDI playback.

I will gladly provide PDF files for any of the above songs in answer to an email request.

*Thoinot Arbeau: as a respected professor of mathematics and a cleric in the church, Jehan de Tabourot published his musical treatise, something which might otherwise have damaged his reputation as a scholar, using an anagram of his name!


Friday, August 3, 2007

More favorite hymns

X:58 % number
T:How Great Thou Art % title
C:Swedish traditional % composer
N:Lyric by Carl Boberg (1859-1940)
O:Peter Edvinsson, http://www.capotastomusic.com % origin.
M:4/4 % meter
L:1/8 % length of shortest note
Q:90 % tempo
K:C % key
V:1 % voice 1
GGG | "Eb" E3 "Eb7" G GGAA | "Ab" F2 A3 "A7dim" AAA | "Bb" G3 E "Bb7" GGFF | "Eb" E4 z G GG |
w:Oh Lord my God, when I in awe-some won-der con-si-der all the works thy hands hath made, I see the
"Eb" E3 "Eb7" G GGAA | "Ab" F2 A3 "A7dim" AAA | "Bb" G3 E "Bb7" GGFF | "Bb" E4 z G Gc | e3 d "Ab" cBcA |
w:stars, I hear the migh-ty thun-der, thy pow'r through-out the u-ni-verse dis-played! Then sings my soul, my sav-iour God to
"Eb" G4 z c cB | "Fm" D4 "Bb7" z F AG | "Eb" E4 z G Gc |
w:Thee "How great Thou art! How great Thou art!", then sings my
e3 d "Ab" cBcA | "Eb" G4 z c Bc | "Fm" d4 z e "Bb7" fB | "Eb" c4-c |]
w:soul, my sav-iour God to Thee, "How great Thou art!, How great Thou art!"
W:
W:When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
W:and take me home what joy shall fill my heart
W:
W:chorus
W:
W:Then I shall bow in humble adoration
W:And there proclaim my God how great thou art

X:57% number
T:Melita % title
C:John Bacchus Dykes % composer
O:http://www.cpdl.org/wiki/images/f/f8/EternalFather.PDF % origin.
M:C % meter
L:1/4 % length of shortest note
Q: % tempo
K:C % key
V:1 % voice 1
C | E>E G G | A A G G | c d B G |
w:E-ter-nal Fa-ther, strong to save, whose arm hath bound the
G ^F G D | F>F E>E | G>G ^F B |
w:rest-less wave, Who bid'st the migh-ty o-cean deep it's
G ^F E G | G ^F E E | E E F F |
w:own ap-point-ed lim-its keep; Oh hear us when we
^F>^F G G | G A G E | D>C C |]
w:cry to Thee for those in per-il on the sea.
W:O Christ! Whose voice the waters heard
W:And hushed their raging at Thy word,
W:Who walked'st on the foaming deep,
W:And calm amidst its rage didst sleep;
W:Oh hear us when we cry to Thee,
W:For those in peril on the sea.
W:
W:Most Holy Spirit! Who didst brood
W:Upon the chaos dark and rude,
W:And bid its angry tumult cease,
W:And give, for wild confusion, peace;
W:Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
W:For those in peril on the sea.
W:
W:O Trinity of love and pow'r!
W:Our brethren shield in danger's hour;
W:From rock and tempest, fire and foe,
W:Protect them wheresoe'er they go;
W:Thus evermore shall rise to Thee
W:Glad hymns of praise from land and sea.

X:56 % number
T:Nicaea % title
C:John Bacchus Dykes % composer
O:http://wso.williams.edu/cpdl/sheet/holyholy.pdf % origin.
M:4/4 % meter
L:1/4 % length of shortest note
Q: % tempo
K:D % key
V:1 % voice 1
D D F F | A2 A2 | B-B B B | A2 F2 |
w:Ho-ly! Ho-ly! Ho-ly! Lo-rd God Al-migh-ty!
A>A A A | d-d c A | E A B>A | A4 |
w:Ear-ly in the mor--ning our song shall rise to Thee;
D D F F | A-A A2 | B>B B B | A2 A2 |
w:Ho-ly! Ho-ly! Ho-ly! Mer-ci-ful and migh-ty
d2 A A | B2 F2 | G E E>D | D4 |]
w:God in three per-sons, bless-ed Tri-ni-ty!
W:
W:Holy! Holy! Holy! All the saints adore Thee,
W:Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
W:Cherubim and Seraphim falling down before Thee,
W:Who wert, and art, and evermore shall be.
W:
W:Holy! Holy! Holy! Though the darkness hide Thee,
W:Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see,
W:Only Thou art holy, there is none beside Thee,
W:Perfect in power, in love and purity.


To convert the code above to sheet music, or listen to the tunes, copy the code for a single song, then paste it here and [submit].

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