Online Program

Programme

The Most High and Mighty Christianus the Fourth,

King of Denmark, His Galliard

John Dowland

        Ursi Frei, soprano recorder

        Robert McNamara, lute

        Elizabeth Gaver, violin

        Troy Brunke, Elaine DeMarco, Russell Frank, Penny Hanna, viols

        Jefferson DeMarco, Laura Frank, Carleton Macy, Mark Stevens, recorders

Allmand II

William Brade

*****

All Creatures now are Merry Minded

John Bennet 

Sweet Honey Sucking Bees

John Wilbye

*****

The Leaves be Green (Browning)

William Byrd

*****

The Most Sacred Queen Elizabeth, Her Galliard

John Dowland

Can She Excuse my Wrongs

John Dowland

   Elaine DeMarco, soprano

        Robert McNamara, lute

*****

Sing Joyfully

William Byrd

Praise our Lord all ye Gentiles

William Byrd

*****

Allemande and Galliard

William Brade

*****

Arise, Awake

Thomas Morley

Sweet Suffolk Owl

Thomas Vautor

*****

The Sighes

Anthony Holborne

The Night Watch

Anthony Holborne

*****

Though Amaryllis Dance in Green

William Byrd

Jody Lee, Soprano

*****

La Volta

William Byrd

MaryClare Martin, harpsichord

My Lord of Oxenford's Mask

William Byrd

       Robert McNamara, lute, 

       Elaine DeMarco, Renaissance guitar

       MaryClare Martin, virginals

       Elizabeth Gaver, violin

       Ursi Frei, alto recorder

       Penny Hanna, viola da gamba

*****

This Sweet and Merry Month of May

William Byrd

       Jody Lee, soprano 

       Elaine DeMarco, soprano

       Nona Childress, alto

       David Canright, tenor

       Mark Stevens, tenor

       Frank Raab, bass

As Vesta was from Latmos Hill Descending

Thomas Weelkes

*****

Now, O Now, I Needs Must Part

John Dowland

        Jody Lee, soprano

        Laura Frank, alto

        Mark Stevens, tenor

        Frank Raab, bass

All Creatures now are Merry Minded

John Bennet

All creatures now are merry minded,

The shepherd's daughters playing,

the nymphs are falalaing.

Yon bugle was well winded.

At Oriana's presence each thing smileth.

The flow'rs themselves discover,

Birds over her do hover,

Music the time beguileth,

See where she comes,

with flow'ry garlands crowned,

Queen of all queens reknowned.

Then sang the shepherds and nymphs of Diana,

"Long live fair Oriana!”

Sweet Honey Sucking Bees

John Bennet

Sweet honey-sucking bees, why do you still

surfeit on roses, pinks and violets,

as if the choicest nectar lay in them

wherewith you store your curious cabinets?

Ah, make your flight to Melisuavia's lips.

There may you revel in ambrosian cheer,

where smiling roses and sweet lilies sit,

Keeping their springtide graces all the year.

Can She Excuse My Wrongs

John Dowland

Can she excuse my wrongs with virtue’s cloak?

shall I call her good when she proves unkind?

Are those clear fires which vanish into smoke?

must I praise the leaves where no fruit I find?

No, no: where shadows do for bodies stand,

thou may’st be abused if thy sight be dim.

Cold love is like to words written on sand,

or to bubbles which on the water swim.

Wilt thou be thus abused still,

seeing that she will right thee never?

if thou canst not overcome her will,

thy love will be thus fruitless ever.

Was I so base, that I might not aspire

Unto those high joys which she holds from me?

As they are high, so high is my desire:

If she this deny what can granted be?

If she will yield to that which reason is,

It is reasons will that love should be just.

Dear make me happy still by granting this,

Or cut off delays if that I die must.

Better a thousand times to die,

then for to live thus still tormented:

Dear but remember it was I

Who for thy sake did die contented.

Sing Joyfully

William Byrd

Sing joyfully to God our strength; 

sing loud unto the God of Jacob!

Take the song, bring forth the timbrel, 

the pleasant harp, and the viol.

Blow the trumpet in the new moon, 

even in the time appointed, and at our feast day.

For this is a statute for Israel, 

and a law of the God of Jacob.

Praise Our Lord, All Ye Gentiles

William Byrd

Praise our Lord all ye Gentiles, 

praise him all ye people,

Because his mercy is confirmed upon us, 

and his truth remaineth for ever. 

Amen.

Arise, Awake

Thomas Morley

Arise, awake, awake,

You silly shepherds sleeping;

Devise some honour for her sake

By mirth to banish weeping.

See where she comes, lo where,

In gaudy green arraying,

A prince of beauty rich and rare for her delighting

Pretends to go a-maying.

You stately nymphs draw near

And strew your paths with roses;

In you her trust reposes.

Then sang the shepherds and nymphs of Diana,

"Long live fair Oriana!”

Sweet Suffolk Owl

Thomas Vautor

Sweet Suffolk owl, so trimly dight,

With feathers like a lady bright,

Thou sing’st alone, sitting by night:

Te-whit, te-whoo…

Thy note, that forth so freely rolls,

With shrill command the mouse controls,

And sings a dirge for dying souls:

Te-whit, te-whoo…

Though Amaryllis Dance in Green

William Byrd

Though Amaryllis daunce in green,

like Fayrie Queene,

and sing full cleere,

Corina can with smiling cheer:

yet since their eyes make hart so sore,

hey ho, chill* love no more.

Ah wanton eyes my friendly foes,

and cause of woes:

your sweet desire,

breedes flames of ice and freese in fire:

yee skorne to see mee weep so sore,

hey ho, chill love no more.

Love yee who list I force him not,

sith God it wot,

the more I wayle,

the lesse my sighes and teares prevaile,

what shall I doe but say therefore,

hey ho, chill love no more.

*chill is an obsolete dialect word meaning "I will."

This Sweet and Merry Month of May

William Byrd

This sweet and merry month of May,

while nature wantons in her prime,

And birds do sing, and beasts do play,

For pleasure of the joyful time,

I choose the first for holy day,

And greet Eliza with a rhyme.

O beauteous Queen of second Troy:

Take well in worth a simple toy.

As Vesta was from Latmos Hill Descending

Thomas Weelkes

As Vesta was from Latmos hill descending,

She spied a maiden Queen the same ascending,

Attended on by all the shepherds' swain,

To whom Diana's darlings came running down amain,

First two by two, then three by three together,

Leaving their goddess all alone hasted thither;

And mingling with the shepherds of her train,

With mirthful tunes her presence entertain.

Then sang the shepherds and nymphs of Diana,

"Long live fair Oriana!”

Now, O Now, I Needs Must Part

John Dowland

Now, O, now, I needs must part,

parting though I absent mourn.

Absence can no joy impart,

joy, once fled, cannot return.

While I live I needs must love,

Love lives not when hope is gone:

Now, at last, despair doth prove,

Love divided loveth none.

Sad despair doth drive me hence,

this despair unkindness sends.

If that parting be offence,

it is she which then offends!

Dear, when from thee I am gone,

Gone are all my joys at once.

I loved thee and thee alone,

in whose love I joyed once.

And, although your sight I leave,

sight wherein my joys do lie,

'Till that Death do sense bereave,

never shall affection die.

Sad despair…

Dear, if I do not return,

Love and I shall die together.

For my absence never mourn,

whom you might have joyed ever.

Part we must, though now I die,

Die I do to part with you;

Him despair doth cause to lie,

who both lived and dieth true.

Sad despair…

Madregalia!!

And the Pastyme Consort

Soprano

Elaine DeMarco, Jody Lee

Marilyn Maxner, Judi Moncrief

Alto

Nona Childress, Laura Frank 

Elizabeth Gaver, Robin Jensen

MaryClare Martin, Kellie Morgantini

Tenor

David Canright, Robin Jensen, Ed Moncrief, Mark Stevens

Bass

Russell Frank, Andrew Passell, Frank Raab, Francis Toldi

Lute

Robert McNamara

Renaissance Guitar

Elaine DeMarco

Violin

Elizabeth Gaver, Nona Childress

Viola da Gamba

Troy Brunke, Elaine DeMarco

Jefferson DeMarco, Laura Frank

Russell Frank, Penny Hanna

Recorder

Jefferson DeMarco, Laura Frank

Ursi Frei, Carleton Macy, Mark Stevens

Harpsichord

MaryClare Martin

Percussion

Mike Novo

Music Director

Jefferson DeMarco