Work

Henry Purcell

Henry Purcell Composer

Don Quixote, Z.578

Performances: 2
Tracks: 9
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Musicology:
  • Don Quixote, Z.578
    Year: 1695
    Genre: Incidental Music
    Pr. Instrument: Voice
    • 1.Sing all ye Muses
    • 2.When the world first knew creation
    • 3.Let the dreadful engines of eternal will
    • 4.With this sacred charming wand
    • 5.Since times are so bad
    • 6.Genius of England
    • 7.Lads and Lasses, blithe and gay
    • 8.From rosie bow'rs

Because The Comical History of Don Quixote was such a big success, the Theatre Royal produced Parts II and III shortly afterwards. For Part II there are songs composed by Eccles, Purcell, and several other composers. Purcell wrote three songs, "Genius of England" (an extended part of a celebration in Act IV), "Lads and Lasses" (a simple Scotch song), and "Since Times are so Bad" (a dialogue between a clown and his wife meant to entertain Sancho Panza and his family)

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"Since Times are so Bad" is a lengthy number in which the clown suggests many ways that he could better his position in society financially and otherwise. He offers to become a lawyer, to join the Royal household, and to take various other rather impossible leaps, all of which his wife objects to. Through much argument she finally convinces him to stay on the farm. This is not a very dramatic piece, but Purcell uses some simple techniques to help the argument along. The opening few pages are given to each voice separately; the first duet comes three quarters of the way through. Each character has extended musical material with which to present his or her argument at first. The amount of material each receives becomes shorter and shorter until they begin singing in duet style, and can trade their themes back and forth in direct imitative conversation. The result is a light piece of simple entertainment.

"Genius of England" is an aria with trumpet. It's an expression of patriotism, and uses the trumpet in typical patriotic fanfare. The trumpet opens the piece with an instrumental introduction on a fanfare motive that the voice picks up and develops in its solo. The tenor solo is florid as he calls the Genius of England to rise up and come forth. The Genius awakes and sings a duo with the trumpet. In a lilting triple-time piece they perform an imitative florid song meant to inspire the soldiers of England. Words such as "noblest scars" and "wars" are given special treatment. The still-florid flexible lines are played first with dotted rhythms, and then without. On "let glory inspire your hearts" the soprano has canonic entrances with the trumpet, further brought into relief by chains of suspensions. The final section to the work is very florid and imitative as it enjoins all to "Remember the soldier in war and in peace".

"Lads and Lasses Blythe and Gay" is one of Purcell's few strophic songs. It has three verses, is in duple time, and employs plenty of simple stepwise motion and harmonies of thirds in the accompaniment. It's a Scotch-style tune, and again lightly entertaining.

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