Reliquary of English Song (Volume One)

This is one of a series of posts about books used as source material for Art Song Central.

Book Title: Reliquary of English Song

  • Volume One
  • (1250-1700)

Editor: Frank Hunter Parker
Accompaniments by: Charles Vincent and T. Tertius Noble
Publisher: G. Schirmer
Copyright: 1915

This entire volume is now available for download here at Art Song Central: Reliquary of English Song (Volume 1)

Contents:

  • About the sweet bag of a bee (Henry Lawes)
  • Ah! the syghes that come fro’ my heart (temp. Henry VII)
  • Arise, ye subterranean winds (Henry Purcell)
  • Awake, sweet love (Dowland)
  • Barbara Allen (temp. Charles I)
  • Beauty and Love (Henry Lawes)
  • The British Grenadiers (temp. Elizabeth)
  • Cease, O my sad soul (Henry Purcell)
  • Come again, sweet love (Dowland)
  • Come, lovely Phillis (Henry Lawes)
  • Dido’s Lament (Henry Purcell)
  • Gather ye rosebuds while ye may (William Lawes)
  • Have you seen but a white lily grow (temp. James I)
  • Hence, hence with your trifling deity (Henry Purcell)
  • How happy art thou (Henry Lawes)
  • The Hunt is up (temp. Henry VIII)
  • I attempt from love’s sickness to fly (Henry Purcell)
  • I do confess (Henry Lawes)
  • If the quick spirit of your eye (Henry Lawes)
  • I live not where I love (temp. Elizabeth)
  • I pass all my hours (Pelham Humphrey)
  • I prethee, send me back my heart (Henry Lawes)
  • It was a lover and his lass (Morley)
  • The Knotting Song (Henry Purcell)
  • Let us dance, let us sing (Henry Purcell)
  • Lilliburlero (Henry Purcell)
  • Little love serves my turn (Henry Lawes)
  • Love will find out the way (temp. Elizabeth)
  • Next, Winter comes slowly (Henry Purcell)
  • Now is the month of maying (Morley)
  • Now, O now I needs must part (Dowland)
  • Nymphs and Shepherds (Henry Purcell)
  • Once I loved a maiden fair (temp. James I)
  • Pastime with good company (temp. Henry VIII)
  • Phillida and Coridon (temp. Charles I)
  • Phillis, on the new-made hay (temp. Charles I)
  • Phillis, talk not more of passion (Daniel Purcell)
  • Phillis, why should we delay (Henry Lawes)
  • Sally in Our Alley (temp. Charles I
  • The Self-Banished (Dr. Blow)
  • Shepherd, shepherd, leave decoying (Henry Purcell)
  • Sumer is icumen in (circa 1250)
  • The Three Ravens (temp. Elizabeth)
  • Tobacco’s but an Indian weed (temp. James I)
  • Wert thou more fairer than thou art (Wilson)
  • What if a day (temp. Elizabeth)
  • When I have often heard (Henry Purcell)
  • When the King enjoys his own again (temp. Charles I)
  • Why should’st thou sweare I am forsworn (King Charles I)
  • The Willow Song (temp. Elizabeth)
  • Wronge not, deare Empress of my hearte (temp. Charles I)
  • You Gentlemen of England (temp. Elizabeth)

Notes:
A number of these songs have been bowdlerized, meaning that “objectionable material” has been excised or replaced. The accompaniments, as well, are not always appropriate to the style. Furthermore, Dido’s Lament lacks the repeated ending we are now accustomed to.

Still, this volume has some useful material, especially for beginning students.

Each of the 52 songs from this volume will be uploaded as song posts are created for them. If you would like me to give priority to a song that is not yet posted, please let me know via the contact page.