The Food of Love: Songs, Dances, and Fancies for Shakespeare The Baltimore Consort

• Jean d’Estrée (16th - 1576):
• 1 Les buffons 02:56
• Traditional:
• 2 Kemp’s Jig 01:15
• Thomas Morley (1557 - 1602):
• 3 It Was a Lover and His Lasse 03:05
• 4 O Mistresse Mine 02:07
• Traditional:
• 5 Peg-a-Ramsey 00:52
• Robert Jones (1577 - 1617):
• 6 Farewell, Dear Love 02:21
• Richard Edwards (1524 - 1566):
• 7 When Griping Grief 03:05
• Traditional:
• 8 My Lady Carey’s Dompe 02:56
• 9 Complain My Lute 06:18
• Anthony Holborne (1545 - 1602):
• 10 Heart’s Ease (The Honiesuckle) 02:57
• Thomas Robinson (1560 - 1609):
• 11 The Queen’s Goodnight 01:08
• John Dowland (1563 - 1626):
• 12 Fancy 02:19
• Traditional:
• 13 The Carman’s Whistle 05:24
• 14 Cuckolds All a-Row 00:32
• 15 Whoope, Do Me No Harm - Jog On 02:18
• John Dowland:
• 16 The King of Denmark, His Galliard 01:52
• 17 Tarleton’s Riserrectione (Plucked Strings) 02:36
• 18 Gravedigger’s Song - Tarleton’s Riserrectione 02:37
• Traditional:
• 19 Bonny Sweet Robin 02:27
• John Dowland:
• 20 Tarleton’s Jig 02:15
• Traditional:
• 21 Greensleeves (I) 01:11
• John Johnson (1540 - 1594):
• 22 Greensleeves (II) 01:18
• Robert Johnson (1583 - 1633):
• 23 Where the Bee Sucks 00:55
• 24 Full Fathom Five 01:49
• Traditional:
• 25 Fortune My Foe 02:23
• 26 Willow Song 03:24
• Anthony Holborne:
• 27 Fairie Rownde 01:27
• Ben Jonson (1572 - 1637):
• 28 The Mad Merry Pranks of Robin Goodfellow 04:04
• Total Runtime 01:07:51

Info for The Food of Love: Songs, Dances, and Fancies for Shakespeare

There are hundreds of references to music in the works of Shakespeare. Shakespeare’s music can be placed into three general categories:

Incidental Music: The individual titles of incidental music in Shakespeare’s works are never named but the directions “music here,” “music begins,” “music for dancing,” etc. are provided.

Literary References: Shakespeare refers to the music, music theory, and instruments of the time within the text of his works. A humorous example is found in the names of the musicians Peter confronts in Romeo and Juliet: Hugh Rebec, Simon Catling and James Soundpost.

Songs: Specific songs are included for performance in the text of Shakespeare’s plays. Shakespeare authored the lyrics to some of these songs but also incorporated popular songs known to his contemporary audiences. The plays did not include notation of the tunes of these songs. However, we are certain that Robert Johnson’s settings for “Full Fathom Five” and “Where the Bee Sucks” are the same as when originally performed in The Tempest. Johnson is well documented as Shakespeare’s composer. For the other songs on the recording we are using the earliest surviving versions – both published and from manuscript – which are contemporary with Shakespeare’s productions. These include, “It Was a Lover and his Lasse,” “Farewell, Dear Love,” “When Griping Grief,” “Gravedigger’s Song,” and “Willow Song.”

Founded in 1980 to perform the instrumental music of Shakespeare’s time, The Baltimore Consort has explored early English, Scottish, and French popular music, focusing on the relationship between folk and courtly art song, and dance. Their interest in early music of English/Scottish heritage has also led them to delve into the rich trove of traditional music preserved in North America. Seventeen recordings on the Dorian and Sono Luminus labels have earned them recognition as Top Classical-Crossover Artist of the Year (Billboard), as well as rave reviews elsewhere. Besides touring in the U.S. (all but two states) and abroad (Austria, Canada, Germany, The Netherlands, and Scotland), they often perform on such syndicated radio broadcasts as St. Paul Sunday, Performance Today, Harmonia and the CBC’s OnStage. They have also enjoyed many teaching residencies at K-12 schools, as well as at the Madison Early Music Festival, and other university engagements.

Mary Anne Ballard, treble and bass viols
Mark Cudek, cittern, bass viol
Larry Lipkis, bass viol, recorders, crumhorn, gemshorn
Ronn McFarlane, lute
Mindy Rosenfeld, flutes, fifes, bagpipes, crumhorn
Danielle Svonavec, soprano

No biography found.

Booklet for The Food of Love: Songs, Dances, and Fancies for Shakespeare