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Did Purcell Set The Tempest?
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 January 2020
Extract
Shakespeare was both deeply reverenced and whole-heartedly misunderstood in the Restoration period. Several of his plays were popular, but nearly all of these were more or less drastically altered to suit contemporary taste. The Tempest was perhaps the most maltreated of them all.
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- Copyright © Royal Musical Association, 1963
References
1 There has been, however, considerable controversy about this (cf Nicoll, Restoration Drama, London 1952, p. 430).Google Scholar
2 Downes, Roscius Anglicanus, London 1708, p. 34.Google Scholar
3 Squire, W. B., ‘The music of Shadwell's Tempest’, The Musical Quarterly, VII (1921). pp. 565–78.Google Scholar
4 Actually the ‘Dance of Fantastick Spirits’ in Act II, as is shown by the verbal cue given.Google Scholar
5 Sammelbände der Internatιonalen Musιkgesellschaft, V (1903/4), pp. 551–5.Google Scholar
6 ‘Purcell and Natural Speech’ The Musical Times, C (1959), p. 323CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7 Squire, W. B., ‘Purcell's dramatic music’, op. cit., p. 553.Google Scholar
8 The overture given in the Purcell Society edition of The Tempest ιs by Purcell but there is little reason to suppose that it was written for this work. In one source, the Magdalene Part-Books (Fitzwιllιam Museum, Cambridge), it is anonymous and untitled; in the only other, Royal College of Music MS 1172, it is merely entitled ‘Overture in Mr. P Opera’ and countersigned ‘Mr. H. Purcell’. Its style suggests that it is a comparatively early work; it could be the overture to the prologue of Dido and Aeneas, or possibly to Circe.Google Scholar
9 Squire commented upon its appearance in Wit and Mirth, though he did not know about Music and Musica (‘Purcell's dramatic music’, p. 553).Google Scholar
10 ibid., p. 554.Google Scholar
11 The Daily Post, 30. 10. 1729.Google Scholar
12 White, E. W., ‘Early theatrical performances of Purcell's operas’, Theatre Notebook, XIII (1958/9), p. 62,Google Scholar
13 e.g. on 21.1.1707 (ibid., p. 64).Google Scholar
14 For instance, a concert on 9.5.1711 included selections from The Indian Queen, King Arthur, The Fairy Queen, and Dιoclesian, the masque in Tιmon of Athens, and the pastoral in The Libertine Bonduca appeared on at least one other occasion (4.1.1704). (The London Stage, Part 2; 1700–1729, ed. E. L. Avery, pp 249, 52.)Google Scholar
15 ‘Purcell's dramatic music’, p. 555Google Scholar
16 For instance in ‘Be gay’ in Loot's Triumph by Saggione.Google Scholar
17 ‘Dry those eyes’ (A minor), Dance of Sailors (D minor) ιn Act III, and Dance of Devils (F major) and ‘Dear pretty youth’ (A major) in Act IV.Google Scholar
18 Both occur, for instance, in ‘Anger for wars’ in Camilla.Google Scholar
19 ‘Purcell and natural speech’, The Musical Times, C (1959), p. 323.Google Scholar
20 White, E. W., ‘Early theatrical performances of Purcell's operas’, Theatre Notebook, XIII (1958/9), p. 64.Google Scholar
21 Private communication.Google Scholar
22 The London Stage, Part 2:1700–1729, ed. E. L. Avery, passim.Google Scholar
23 The only two editions of the text of The Tempest published between 1702 and 1733, apart from reprints of Dryden's complete works, are of the ‘play’ not the ‘opera’ version. The Birmingham Shakespeare Library has both editions.Google Scholar
24 Private communication.Google Scholar
25 Boyer, The history of the lιfe and reign of Queen Anne, London 1722, p. 523.Google Scholar
26 I am indebted to Dr. Michael Tilmouth for this reference.Google Scholar
27 Although all the songs assigned to him are transposed into treble clef, as was normal at this period, all of them could be performed by a bassbaritone and some are undoubtedly bass songs, e.g. William Turner's ‘Wanton cupids cease’ (The Monthly Mask, June 1718).Google Scholar
28 For instance, an advertisement of 26 July, 1715 specifies ‘Singing by Mrs. Willis … and the dialogue of “No kissing at all” [Purcell's “Now the maids and the men” from The Fairy Queen] by Mr. Renton and her.’ (The Daily Courant.)Google Scholar
29 Grove's Dictionary, 5th. ed., ed. E. Blom.Google Scholar
30 Fitzwilliam Museum Cambridge, Mus. MS 120.Google Scholar
31 A manuscript in the Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, D.C.Google Scholar
32 They were performed by Richard Elford, who died on 29.10.1714 (The Post Boy, 30 October/2 November, 1714).Google Scholar
33 ‘Sue to Cælia’ and ‘In vain we say’ both appear in two editions: A collectιon of new songs and single-sheet form. In the former they have, in the latter they do not have, instrumental obbligato parts.Google Scholar
34 e.g. Pastoral Symphony (second part) and ‘Hither all ye graces’.Google Scholar
The author wishes to thank Sylvia Lochhead, Ronald Morrison, Kenneth Elliott, Michael Tilmouth, Robin Barr and Berthold Francke who recorded the two songs by Weldon.Google Scholar
She wishes also to thank the Decca Record Company for permission to re-record the two songs from The Tempest on magnetic tape, without which permission there would have been an infringement of copyright.Google Scholar
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