The Laughing Cavalier : English Ayres

English Ayres : The Laughing Cavalier.
Traditional early english music.

Few generations of artists have sensed the transience of life more keenly than the so-called 'Cavalier' poets and musicians of mid-17th century England. Perhaps this sensibility grew out of renaissance humanism's fascination with all aspects of human life - think of Shakespeare's 'Seven Ages of Man' speech - but perhaps too, some prompting of the Zeitgeist whispered to the cavaliers that their gay and glittering worlds of silks, satins and masques was on the brink of violent destruction in the Civil Wars.

At all events it seems fitting to try to tell the life story of imagined cavalier in one brief hour of music. After an opening 'carpe diem' song (track 1) and an invocation to the lute (track 2), we perform songs about youth and innocence (tracks 3 and 4), and songs about passionate young love in its many aspects (tracks 5 to 11). Next we consider the pleasures of middle age, with songs about drink and jollity (tracks 13 to 16) - and the midlife crisis, with a seduction song for an old man (track 17) and a song of mountebank cosmetics salesman, promising to turn back the years (track 18). Personal crisis is mirrored in the national crisis of civil war, with a lament for 'Jerusalem' (that is, England!) (track 19), a song of man to his imprisoned girlfriend (track 20) and a Royalist song looking forward to the King's return (track 21).

In old age our cavalier turns to contemplation, of the power of music and poetry to give solace (track 23) and of his religious faith (track 24); finally death comes, considered as sleep (track 25), as magical transformation (track 26) and as the end of music itself (track 27). But we couldn't leave you on this bleak note, so we close with a perky moral (track 27) - life is grim, but we can still go fishing...

Much of the music here has never been recorded before, mostly because it has never been published; and where it has been, it has usually been in solo song versions, not the rather richer and livelier vocal trios performed here. For musicians who would like to perform this music for themselves, an edition including 15 of the songs here will shortly be available from the Lute Society, at www.lutesociety.org.

Songs:

1. Gather your rosebuds (William Lawes)
2. Ah heav'n what is't I hear (John Blow)
3. Though I am young (Nicholas Lanier)
4. Dear do not your fair beauty wrong (Robert Johnson)
5. Now the lusty spring is seen (John Wilson: attributed to Robert Johnson)
6. Lawn as white as driven snow (attributed to John Wilson)
7. Sweet do not thus destroy me (Nicholas Lanier)
8. Turn turn thy beauteous face away (John Wilson)
9. Amorosa Pargoletta (Nicholas Lanier)
10. Dearest do not now delay me (Anon:Henry Lawes)
11. Misera Pastorella (Nicholas Lanier)
12. Coprario or Gray's Inn the first (John Coprario)
13. Some drink boy some drink (William Lawes)
14. Come lay by your cares (Robert Smith)
15. God Lyeus ever young (John Wilson:attribured to Robert Johnson)
16. Cast your caps and cares away (John Wilson)
17. Come hither you that love (Robert Johnson:John Wilson)
18. From the fair Lavinian shore (John Wilson)
19. She weepeth full sore (William Lawes)
20. O think not Phoebe 'cause a cloud (William Lawes)
21. When the King enjoys his own again (Anon)
22. Country dance (John Jenkins)
23. Orpheus with his lute (Matthew Locke)
24. I know that my Redeemer lives (Matthew Locke)
25. Care-charming sleep (Robert Johnson)
26. Full fathom five thy father lies (Robert Johnson:John Wilson)
27. Music the master of thy art is dead (William Lawes)
28. Man's life is but vain (the angler's catch) (Henry Lawes)

Listen to: the entire album.

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Release date: 12/31/2010
English Ayres lives in Guildford England

Tagged as: Classical, Renaissance, Classical Singing, Composer: John Blow, Composer: John Coprario, Composer: John Jenskins, Composer: John Wilson, Composer: Matthew Locke, Composer: Nicholas Lanier, Composer: Robert Johnson, Composer: Robert Smith, Composer: William Lawes, Lute

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