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248 ENGLISH SONG AND BALLAD MUSIC. |
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"When now the British side scarce finished their song, But th' English, that repin'd to be delay'd so long, All quickly at the hint, as with one free consent, Struck up at onco and sung, each to the instrument (Of sundry sorts that were, as the musician likes), On which the practic'd hand with perfect'st fing'ring strikes, Whereby their height of skill might liveliest be exprest. The trembling Lute some touch, some strain the Viol best, In sets that there were seen, the music wondrous choice. Some, likewise, there affect the Gamba with the voice, To shew that England could variety afford. Some that delight to touch the sterner wiry chord, The Cithreh, the Pandore, and the Theorbo strike : The Gittern and the Kit the wand'ring fiddlers like. So were there some again, in this their learned strife, Loud instruments that lov'd, the Cornet" and the Fife, The Hoboy, Sackbut deep, Recorder, and the Flute; E'en from the shrillest Shawm unto the Cornamute. Some blow the Bagpipe up, that plays the Country-Round; The Tabor and the Pipe some take delight to sound."
The Sundry Mtmques of England.
In consequence of the almost universal cultivation of music in the sixteenth century, and of the great employment and encouragement of musicians, so many. persons embraced music as a profession, that England overflowed with them. Many travelled, and some were tempted by lucrative engagements to settle abroad. Dowland, whose "touch upon the lute" was said to "ravish human sense," travelled through Italy, France, Germany, and the Netherlands, and about the year 1600 became lutenist to the King of Denmark. On Dowland's return to England in 1607, Christian IV. begged of Lady Arabella Stuart (through the Queen and Prince Henry) to allow Thomas Cutting, another famous lutenist, then in her service, to replace him. Peter Phillips, better known on the continent (where the greater part of his works were printed) as Pietro Philippi, accepted an engagement as organist to the Arch-duke and Duchess of Austria, governors of the Low Countries, and settled there. John Cooper spent much of his -life in Italy, and was called Coprario, or Cuperario. There were few, if any, Italian composers or singers then in England,b and the music of Italy was chiefly known by the Madrigal, for the sacred music, as being for the service of the Mass, was strictly prohibited.
» Among Henry the Eighth's instruments were "Git- voices in Cathedral Service. The base Cornet was of a
teron Pipes of ivory or wood, called Cornets." The Cornet more serpentine form, and from four to five feet in length ;
described by Mersenne is of a bent shape, like the segment but Mersenne says, the Serpent (contorted to render it
of a large circle, gradually tapering from the bottom to more easy of carriage, as its length was six feet one inch)
the mouth-piece, The cornet was of a loud sound, but was the genuine base of that instrument.
in skilful hands could be modulated so as to resemble the 'Alfonso Ferabosco, the elder, was bom, of Italian
tones of the human voice. In Ben Joneon's Masque of parents, at Greenwich. As he was brought up and lived
Neptune't Triumph, the instruments employed were rive in England, he can scarcely he considered as an Italian
Lutes and three Comets. In several other Masques, Lutes musician. Nicholas Lanier was an Italian by birth, and
and Cornets were the only instruments used. At the came to England as an engraver. lie settled here, and
Restoration, Cornets supplied the deficiency of boys' became an emiuent musician. |
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