Thule, the Period of Cosmography by Thomas Weelkes
You wouldn't think that a song about love would necessarily mention three volcanoes, the farthest extent of the world, a valuable dye made from insects, and an ocean full of flying fishes, would you?
But there is one precisely as so described. It's called 'Thule, the period of cosmography', by the great madrigalist Thomas Weelkes (1575-1623). And in this song, the progress of love is uneven, to say the least.
In the signal year 1600, Weelkes published his 'Madrigals of 5. and 6. Parts', which includes one of our earlier madrigals, the bellicose and colorful 'Like two proud armies', as well as today's selection. The title of the piece provides a hint that the poem is strange, and so it is. It is built upon the premise that nothing can be stranger (or 'more wondrous') than the love-induced, seemingly mutually exclusive phenomena experienced by our poor protagonist,
whose 'heart with fear doth freeze, with love doth fry'.
(If you were ever a teenager, this may sound familiar to you.)
All of the strange and dramatic wonders of the world mentioned above (and more) are pressed into service in a sort of hydra-headed collection of comparisons, and (as one would expect) Weelkes has a marvelous time finding ways to express each image in musical terms. The piece is wondrous to hear, and absolutely thrilling to sing.
I'm attaching the score, an excellent recording, and a text-translation sheet which includes explanatory footnotes for certain unfamiliar terms and place-names.
If anyone is looking for a poetico-musical project during the pandemic, perhaps a poem could be written vaunting the wondrous features of our own dear Sonoma County, and then said poem could be provided with an apt,
colorful musical setting. Just an idea--
I hope you like today's madrigal--it's really something.
You wouldn't think that a song about love would necessarily mention three volcanoes, the farthest extent of the world, a valuable dye made from insects, and an ocean full of flying fishes, would you?
But there is one precisely as so described. It's called 'Thule, the period of cosmography', by the great madrigalist Thomas Weelkes (1575-1623). And in this song, the progress of love is uneven, to say the least.
In the signal year 1600, Weelkes published his 'Madrigals of 5. and 6. Parts', which includes one of our earlier madrigals, the bellicose and colorful 'Like two proud armies', as well as today's selection. The title of the piece provides a hint that the poem is strange, and so it is. It is built upon the premise that nothing can be stranger (or 'more wondrous') than the love-induced, seemingly mutually exclusive phenomena experienced by our poor protagonist,
whose 'heart with fear doth freeze, with love doth fry'.
(If you were ever a teenager, this may sound familiar to you.)
All of the strange and dramatic wonders of the world mentioned above (and more) are pressed into service in a sort of hydra-headed collection of comparisons, and (as one would expect) Weelkes has a marvelous time finding ways to express each image in musical terms. The piece is wondrous to hear, and absolutely thrilling to sing.
I'm attaching the score, an excellent recording, and a text-translation sheet which includes explanatory footnotes for certain unfamiliar terms and place-names.
If anyone is looking for a poetico-musical project during the pandemic, perhaps a poem could be written vaunting the wondrous features of our own dear Sonoma County, and then said poem could be provided with an apt,
colorful musical setting. Just an idea--
I hope you like today's madrigal--it's really something.