Giles Farnaby Author(S): H
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Giles Farnaby Author(s): H. Orsmond Anderton Source: The Musical Times, Vol. 53, No. 835 (Sep. 1, 1912), pp. 578-579 Published by: Musical Times Publications Ltd. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/907625 . Accessed: 17/02/2015 21:10 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp . JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Musical Times Publications Ltd. is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The Musical Times. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 128.235.251.160 on Tue, 17 Feb 2015 21:10:48 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 578 THE MUSICAL TIMES.-SEPTEMBER I, 1912. Quasimodo looking out for that and observingFrollo, is of nasty medicine. In spite of his idolatry of warping himself between the both and is now stabbed Shakespeare, he rejected him: he had seen the Bard's insteadPhobus. Frollo is reknownas murdererand is now portrait ad nauseam on the stage, on bookstalls, in imprisoned. Phbbusand Esmeraldaembracing another are frontispieces, on mantelpieces. Milton, he feared, happily. would appear starched and Puritanical,with precisian's It will be obvious fromthe that the book is band and gown. Many others were proposed, but his foregoing Thomas and Fulke Greville. fullyworth the half-crownit costs. choice was forSir Browne, Garrick, too, Kit Marlowe, and a few other such unorthodox worthies and unworthies were invited, In much the It is encouraging to note that one of the most so to speak, rather than the Olympians. popular and at the same timemost and artistic same vein Browning chose men like Abt Vogler poetical than songs of our time is 'Son of Mine,' the music of which and Sordello forhis dramatic monologues rather And this attitude is a is by Mr. William Wallace. It is a trite saying that the recognised heroes. quite It is sometimes imitationis the sincerest flattery,but in this particular intelligible and natural one. pleasant and wander instance the exemplificationof the truthof the maxim is to leave the open highways of thought, as one likes to edifying; for many gross and unblushing imitations through the unfrequented lanes, just backwater from the of Mr. Wallace's song exist. Someone, who shall be moor one's punt in a shady away stream. one nameless, has sent us the followingnew version of the glare and trafficof the main Just so, too, idea: feels about Giles Farnaby. Who yearns to meet Handel, or Hummel, or Cherubini, those dii majores When you'rerunning dry, of their own day ; yes,-shall we whisper the Son of mine, heresy ?-or even Beethoven, and many another of Have a carefullook at my the orthodox and classical of Cardinals? 'Son of mine.' College Whereas the more unassuming men, men like Chopin, Thereyou'll find your inspiration, or walk into our in Monteverde, Couperin-could they Drag any poor relation, an hour how we should be ! He won'tmind the imitation, study for pleased Son ofmine. Among such, all who have studied his unpretentious pieces in the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book and felttheir When you'refeeling glum, curiously attractiveindividuality, would unhesitatingly Son ofmine, place Giles Farnaby ; and the spell to conjure up this And ideas will not come, pleasant shade will soon in some sense be placed Son of mine, withinthe of all the publication (Novello & ' The power by Studycarefully Rebel,' Co.) during this month of an album of a dozen of his Thoughit's scarcelyworth a pebble, pieces edited by Professor Bantock. Make yourbaritone a treble, He came of a Cornish Son of mine! Of his life little is known. stock, and was apparently born about 1568-70, since, Air yourbit of swank, by his own account, he began the study of music Son ofmine. about 1580. In 1589 he was living in London, as It's yourown ; you need not thank we know ,rom the churchwardens' accounts of 'Son of mine.' St. Helen's, Bishopsgate, a church connected also Be it lass or girlor mother, with Shakespeare, to whom a memorial window Take tuneor my any other, was put up some years ago. On July 7, 1592, says That will save a lot ofbother, Wood's he at Oxford as Mus. Bac., Son ofmine. 'Fasti,' graduated 'stating in his sufiflicat that he had studied music When you steal the tune, for twelve years.' Son ofmine, He evidentlyentered into the life of his time, and Swear it was yourmother's croon, made a reputation in his art, for the large number of Son ofmine. pieces in the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book is sufficient But thatfather* risked the halter, to attest their vogue and his popularity; and when, When withChords he wouldnot palter, in 1592, Thos. Este (the assignee of Byrd in music- Who are you to twistand alter issued 'The whole Booke of Psalmes,' 'Son ofmine' ? publishing) with music, engaging men of unchallengeable position to harmonize the tunes, Farnaby, with Dowland. and Farmer, was among the number so chosen. He GILES FARNABY. would be familiarwith Byrd and all his set, such as and and since London was then H. ORSMOND ANDERTON. Morley,Bull, Gibbons, BY smaller, and society more manageable, he would most Among the writers represented in the Fitzwilliam probably be brought into contact also with the group Virginal Book, Giles Farnaby stands out as a distinct of poets and players taking part, possibly, in some and very attractive individuality. It is curious how of those far-famed meetings at 'The Mermaid.' some men have this peculiar quality, this gift of Shakespeare and the rest of them constantlyneeded impressing one with the magic of their personality, songs and dances for their plays, and they would while many others, of larger and ampler calibre, naturally turn to the skilled musicians, as is done exercise comparatively little of the spell. Hazlitt, in at the present day. There are two or three ' Maskes' a well-knownessay, describes a symposiumas to whom by Farnaby in the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book, and one would, if it were possible, call back fromthe vasty these must almost certainlyhave been writtenfor the deep, that they might stage in their firstinception. The theatre with which until was known 'Come like shadows-so depart.' Shakespeare was connected 1599 as 'The or 'The on the Shoreditch The is a Theatre,' Curtain,' essay little stodgy, and Lamb is made to The Puritanical influences talk with the edge of London. growing unlamb-like solemnityof an old tup; but in the and there are When then prevailed getting bear-gardens many interesting points raised. theatres banished from the City boundaries, and Newton and Locke were proposed Elia's face assumed built 'The Globe' on the an which it have worn aftera dose Shakespeare's company expression might Surrey side; and hither,doubtless, Farnaby, Dowland, * The fatherin the last verse of the original. and the rest of them must have resorted. This content downloaded from 128.235.251.160 on Tue, 17 Feb 2015 21:10:48 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions THE MUSICAL TIMES.-SEPTEMBER I, 1912. 579 In 1598Farnaby published a book of' Canzonetsto large architectonicquality needfulfor a pioneerin foure Voyces, with a song of eight parts,' with such an art. The specimengiven in this album is commendatoryverses by Dowland and others. One perhapsas good a choice as could have been made. of these,'Ay me, poore Heart,' is transcribedin the The openingis imitational,almost fugal, but lateron, FitzwilliamVirginal Book. In 1621 he contributedas is the case in Gibbons'sjust mentioned,the subject harmonies to some of the tunes in Ravenscroft'sdisappears, and freshones are announcedand worked 'Psalter.' Two madrigalsof his are known,'Come, in succession; so that organiccoherence is rather Charon,come,' and 'Construe my meaning'; and wanting. amongthe pieces in the FitzwilliamVirginal Book is Farnaby's tonality,as already indicated,has a a transcriptionof a third,'Daphne on therainbow.' moderntendency. The modes, of course,were the It is, however, chieflyupon his pieces in this musical language of the time,but in many pieces, celebratedanthology that his reputationrests; they as, e.g.,the 'Conceit,' the 'Toye,' and 'Pawle's Wharfe,' have a simple charmand a naivetdwhich arrest all he seems to jump clear intothe modern key idiom. who make their acquaintance,and theyare among The appearanceof this album is a symptomof a the most attractivepieces in the collection. There welcome awakening in the work of our musical are fifty-onein all-three in Vol. i., and forty-eightin forbears. The notationis modernised;here and there Vol. ii. Of these, the dozen in the album beforeus a note or two is added in smaller type, where it give a verygood idea, and are as good a selectionas seemed to be desirablefor modern ears, though such could be made, thoughwe may wish it had been cases are comparativelyrare; expressionmarks and possible to include one or two others, such as phrasing are added, the original being of course 'Spagnioletta,' 'Old Spagnoletta,' 'Woody Cock,' absolutelysterile of such a crop; and ProfessorBantock the infectiouslygay 'Meridan Alman,' and the has added at thebeginning a shortbiographical note, 'Gigge,' whose curious rhythmicalstructure Dr. along witha few wordsof discussionof each of the Naylor discusses in his book on the collection.pieces included. Altogether,the book brings this 'Quodling's Delight,'too, is a charmingpiece, witha interestingwriter within the reach of all, and unless strongfamily likeness to the old ballad, 'The oak, we are muchmistaken those who see it willfind real and the ash, and the bonnyivy-tree.' It formsone pleasurein makingor renewinghis acquaintance.