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A Critical Appraisal of English Madrigals Currently /481 A CRITICAL APPRAISAL OF ENGLISH MADRIGALS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IN AMERICAN PUBLICATION THESIS Presented to the Graduate Council of the North Texas State Teachers College in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of MASTER OF MUSIC By William C. Friesen, B. A., B. lus. Alpine, Texas August, 1942 100445 AP% 'RRA 100445 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES . iv LIST OF ILLUSTITIONS. v Chapter I. TEE PROBLE. * . 1 II. HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE ENGLISH vADRIGAL. 4 Origin of the Madrigal Form of the Madrigal Specific Characteristics of the English Madrigal The Development of the English MadriGal Music in the Elizabethan Home Reasons for Learning to Sing The Decline of the English Madrigal Su nary III. INSTRUMENTS ExPLOYED IN THE SINGING OF ADRIGALS . 23 String Tnstruments Keyboard String Instruments Viols Wind Instruments IV.*ADIGLSINGING. ................... 33 Technical Features and Idiom Vocal Range of Madrigals iwuber of Singers Poltphonic SinginG Vocal Techniques Required in Madrigal Singing V. ENGLISH IvDRIGALS IN AERICAN PUBLICATION . 46 APP IX. * . * . * . e . * . 61 BIBLIOGRAPHY. 68 iii LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. The Number, the FInal Note, and the Melodic Range ...............36 of Each Mode . * - - . * 2. adrigals Easy to Perform...... .** . .. 47 3. Maarigals of Mediun Difficulty . .. 51 4. Madrigals Difficult to Perform . 55 5. Madrigals Adapted for Chouses . 59 iv LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Page 1. The Use of a Sustained Vowel in a Passage Showing tMotion Through the Use of Rapid Notes . 8 2. titation Involving a Double Canon. 9 3. Zuspensions and Long NoTes Denoting Languishing ..0.. 10 Despair.* . .0 . 0-- 0. 0 4. Irregular Spacing of Words Showing How Symcopation TS Introduced by Means of the Text Rather Than Through the -Rhythmic Structure of the Music . 38 C PTER I TE PROBLEM The problem of this thesis may be listed as threefold: (1) to a e critical appraisal and listing of all available English madrigals published and obtainable in the United States at the present time; (2) to list supplement;ary aerial which would maintain consistent continuity in a program featuring English madrigals; (3) to present a historical background which might aid in the interpretation and rendi- tion of the music of the Elizabethan era. For the sake of chronological sequence, the order in Which each of the above problems is dealt mith will be reversed. By critical appraisal is meant that each of the madrigals appearing in the list ias been carefully inves t igated and analyzed with regard to he Various vocal and musical criteria that each may present to a group Washing to perform tem. Ihis means the voice ranges have been indi- cated; harmonic and contrapuntal difficulties have been designated by placing a composition witlain a certain category denoting it as easy, meiu or difficult; madrigals suited 'or largr choral ensembles have also been specified; and finally, it has been indicated where these madrigals may be obtained. In supplementary appendices solo selections, arrangemefnts, and modern madrial, aEnGish or tmerican, tat -might add variety and uniformity to a madrigal program are listed. In the historical background an attempt is made to show why tle madrigal became so popular in Elizabethan England, what instruments were 2 employed in the rendition of madrigals, and a word on the technique of performance. For the source of material the cooperation of the leading music publishers of the United States has been sought. Because new editions are constantly being brought out, it is impossible to say that the list covers all the madrigals published up to the present day. Frequently one finds the same madrigal published by several publishing houses, and when this happens, credit is given to each of the publishers. However, out- side of a few compositions which might have been overlooked by the publisher, practically all the madrigals that are available in the United States at this time from publishers of major importance have been collected and listed. In considering this problem of relative difficulty, the investigator has kept in mind the typical high school and college group, although some of the material would undoubtedly interest professional groups. When the singing of sixteenth century madrigals was revived during the past century fcr concert-going audiences, it so happened that small vocal ensembles capable of bringing this type of music to the attention of the public were evidently relatively few in number. Hence, it fell to larger choral organizations to present these madrigals on their concert programs. This fact has probably led some authorities to believe that madrigals sound best when performed by a moderately large chorus. From the research made in connection with this study one comes to the conclusion that the madrigal is essentially a composition written for a small vocal ensemble, preferably 1W. S. Rockstro, Groves Dictionary of Music and Musicians, second edition, III, 18. 3 solo voices. Apparently the madrigal is an ideal type of musical compo- sition for those students found in nearly every high school and college who are above average in musical ability and attainment, and who need challenging material to develop both vocal technique and musicianship. The a cappella choir has come to be a permanent part of music educa- tion in America, so that no longer is there much danger that the fine music of the past will be withheld from public audiences. Thus, with all the wealth of talent to be found in our public schools, it would seem logical to presume that the music of the Elizabethans could and should be performed in the manner in which they were first originated. It is the opinion of the investigator that these small groups would probably be composed of the best singers within the a cappella choir. The increasing popularity of madrigal clubs and societies shows that the musical public has already sensed the value of madrigal singing. In the light of the present popularity of madrigal groups, this study is quite pertinent. Until qiite recently, many of the fine madrigals were obtainable only through foreign publishers. The few that were performed were well known both abroad and in this country. At a time when foreign publications can no longer be obtained for some time to come, it is well to know what is available from American publishers. The findings of this study should prove to be a boon to all those who enjoy performing madrigals, for through the cooperation of the leading music publis ing houses in this country, a complete authoritative list of fine madrigals has been gathered. Many of these will be new both to the performers and the public. CHAPTER II HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE ENGLISH MADRIGAL There is, perhaps, no period in the history of music which ascended so rapidly to a peak of attainment, and then as suddnely almost disappeared, as did the era of the Madrigal in England. For the brief span of little more than half a century, during the Elizabethan era, a musical culture existed in England unparalleled anywhere on the continent, and perhaps not equaled in any country since. And yet, there was no marked recognition of the fact at that time. 1 Elizabethans, no doubt, would have been filled with pride had they realized that both their literature and music had reached a climax not previously attained and possibly never to be surpassed in their nations history. It may seem a little strange that the madrigal, a product of Italy, should reach its highest development at the hands of a people as iferent in e peramemt, language, and musical experience as the English. 2 To understand the culmination of this whole movement, we must turn our attention to Elizabethan England where music was an indispensable part of every gentlemants educational and social attainments.3 Why music in England should after a period of a hundred years of comparative silence suddenly spring to life with renewed vigor, and why IM. C. Boyd, Elizabethan Music and Musical Criticism, p. 92. 2 Theodore 1. Finney, A History of Music, p. 159. 3Sir Frederick Bridge, Lecture on: "Iusic in England in the Year 1604" as found in English 'Lusic (1604-1904), second edition, edited by Frederick J. Crowest, p. 167. 4 5 such a high standard of musical achievement should enjoy such a brief existence are the questions this chapter will attempt to explain. To get the full significance of this period of English music, it will be necessary to trace briefly the development of the madrigal in continental Europe. It will then be possible to see why this particular form of music reached its highest culmination in England. Origin of the Madrigal Historians seem quite generally agreed that, like so many other artistic developments, the madrigal came out of Italy.4 So far as can be ascertained, the term was first employed by the rustics of northern Italy in the early part of the twelfth century and found its way into Italian literature about the beginning of the fourteenth century. It was used at this time in connection with musical compositions of somewhat elaborate style.5 in one sense, the madrigal represented a very definite trend towards music which differed from the traditional style of the Church. In this sense, reference is made to the "frottola," a street song usually comic or sentimental in character, which symbolized a revolt against the techiical complications of Gothic polyphonic art in favor of the melodic 6 richness and harmonic sweetness so characteristic of Italian music. The Italian "madrigale," which flourished for a time after its introduc- tion in northern Italy about 1340, apparently died out and was forgotten 4Boyd O,, .tspo.92. 5E. H. Fellowes, The English Madrigal Composers, p.
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