Work
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Musicology:
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The woods so wild, MB85Year: 1590
Genre: Variations
Pr. Instrument: Keyboard
The renaissance English composer William Byrd (1543-1623) wrote a set of fourteen variations on a melody entitled The Woods so Wild. It is believed that this work is based upon a popular improvisatory technique, which Byrd adapted to his needs.
Unusually, additional to the melody upon which the variations are based, Byrd uses a ground. This technique of using a ground as well as song upon which to improvise is atypical of the genre. The ground adopted is problematic, as it involves a monotonous alternation of a tonic and supertonic, necessitating strong and interesting harmonic writing. Byrd provides this with a shift to mixolydian mode and writes with the lightest touch possible.
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© 2008 All Media Guide, LLC. All Music Guide is a registered trademark of All Media Guide, LLC.
