This fantastic collection of songs whose words can be nearly all be directly linked back to a named Shakespeare play, were written by some of the great playwright's most celebrated musical contemporaries (william Byrd, Thomas Morley) and are performed exquisitely here by the Deller Consort. Alfred Deller, founder of the group,sings counter-tenor and directs the consort.
These songs powerfully convey a plethora of contrasting moods from the dark longing of John Wilson's 'Take, O take those lips away' from Measure for Measure, to the light-hearted bounce and humour of Morley's famous 'It was a lover and his lass'.
The virtuosity of the singers of the Deller Consort enables the ensemble to successfully capture these different moods, and their outstanding clarity of diction means that not a word is lost. The voices and words combined with Desmond Dupr's exquisite lute playing renders this recording thoroughly spellbinding!
anon.:
Willow song
How should I your true love know
We be soldiers three
When griping griefs
Callino Casturame
Then they for sudden joy did weep
Bonny Sweet Robin
When that I was
Kemp's jigg (for lute)
Greensleeves
He that will an alehouse keep
Byrd:
Non nobis Domine
Cutting:
Walshingham variations
Johnson, R:
Where the bee sucks
Full fathom five
Morley:
It was a lover and his lass
O mistress mine
Weelkes:
Strike it up, Tabor
Wilson, John:
Take, O take those lips away