5-1

quered one. He lived in troublous days, and in an era of great changes in the political and musical worlds. Born in 1595, at Dinton, in Wiltshire, he became a pupil of Giovanni Coperario (or John Cooper, to give him his English name), and I think this had a considerable influence on the direction which his compositions took, and about which I shall say more later. We

, when he set the songs in a Masque written by Thomas Carew, entitled Coelum Britannicum. This wa

ely to the stage. I cannot help thinking this is to be explained by the fact that he was not educated in a Cathedral Choir, but was a pupil of Giovanni Coperario. Now this musician had an experience which few of his contemporaries enjoyed. He studied in Italy-going there as plain John Cooper and returning to his native country as Giovanni Coperario. His sojourn in Italy was at a remarkable time; the time when the first Opera and the first Oratorio were given. It is very interesting to

n the Psalms of David by George Sandys, and also contributing another volume of tunes to Church Psalms,

o this volume was the well-known sonnet

uneful and wel

ur English mus

just note a

he young Milton came up to London to receive instruction in music, as well as in other things. It was Lawes who apparently got Milton to write the Masque, which he desired to produce at Ludlow Castle in September 1634. The story of Comus and its origin is so well known that I need not dwell upon it. The music of the Masque was not published in the composer's life-time, but, curiously enough, it was Lawes who edited Milton's Poem in 1637. This was p

rticularly. What these were we do not know. The merits of Lawes' music have been decried, but having edited the Comus music, after careful correction from Lawes' original MS., which I was fo

Comus, for there is much to b

st book of Ayres was dedicated to his pupils, Lady Alice Egerton and her sister, daughters of Lord Bridgwater, and in it he says: "No sooner had I thought of making these public

music, but at the same time he contends "that our own nation has produced as many able musicians as any in Europe." He laughs at the partiality of the age for songs sung in a foreign language. In one of the prefaces to his Book of Ayres he says: "This present generation is so sated with what's native, that nothing takes their ears but what's sung in a Language which (commonly) they underst

n and with some charming melodious phrases. I have often had it performed at my Lectures, and when sung in Italian it is listened to very stolidly, but when

Lawes' book as Tavola

vo

n heart ....

, and if your eyes

ev'n when you

you sc

, unbel

f splen

why? from th

e .... (for t

bad poetry[3]; and he set songs to Italian, to Spanish, and even to Greek words. An interesting fact in connection with his love for good poetry is given in J. P. Collier's Catalogue of Early English Literature in the Br

Bridgwater, my most honoured Lord, f

y La

is the Nobleman for w

ting about. Although somewhat lengthy, I really cannot refrain from giving the Preface to one of his Books

tanders or Lo

ons: and now I had not repeated that Error (if it prove to be one)

especially to those worthy and grateful Strangers, who are far more candid and equall in their Censures than some

tion I chiefly possess (which is to shape Notes to the Words and Sense) is not hit by too many: and I have been often sad to observe some (otherwise able Musicians) guilty of such Lapses and mistakes this way. And poss

all); but those are very few, and seldom occur; and when they do, are manageable enough by giving each syllable its particular humour; provided the breath of the sense b

g Gentlemen, who were not untravell'd, hearing some Songs I had set to Italian words (publickly sung by excellent voyces) concluded those songs were begotten in Italy, and said (too loud) "they would faine heare such songs to be made by an Englishman." Had they layd their sceane a little nearer home, there had been more colour; for, a short Ayre of mine (neare 20 years old) was lately reviv'd in our neighbour Nation, and publickly sung to words of their own as a new borne piece, without alteration of any one Note: Tis the Ayre to those words, "Old Poets Hippocrene admire etc." a sorry trifle (a man would think) to be rais'd from the dead after 18 year

, the Passions, Spirits, Majesty and Humours, are all the same they are in England; their manner of composing is s

although I have lost my Fortunes with my Master (of ever blessed Memory) I am not so low to bow for a subsistence to the

ave my design. I have printed the Greek in a Roman

ewe

.

Dialogues. Dedicated to the Hon. the Lad

were but few. As we have seen in his early days, he preferred the stage, and during the Commonwealth there was no inducement to write

's Entertainment at Rutland House, e.g., declamation and music. A little later he as

he performance. This is the first notice we get of the Purcell family, about whom I hope to say more in a later Lecture. It is an interesting fact th

not long survive the revival of his fortunes. He lived in the little Almonry at Westminster, the block of ancient buildings in which the Purcell fam

rom the Diary of Samuel Pepys, who, on Dec

to my theorbo he went away to see Henry Lawes who lies very sick.... I to the Abbey, an

ied in the Cloisters of Westminster Abbey though unfortunately there is nothing to mark the spot of his interment. I

rs" who deserve to be remembered with affectionate r

me first appeared i

ooper Smith, and is contained in a large vol

t which I have been able to correct. The song was printed by Playford, aft

s shall be s

I saw the original in Dr Cooper Smith's

t's sable s

s with the typographical error,

woman (Mrs Coleman) first appeared u