Art songs

Songs rooted in the classical tradition. The name ‘art song’ feels a bit pretentious to me – after all, all the songs on this site are art – but there is no better alternative, except for such foreign terms as lied.

• The aged lover renounceth love (lyrics). Words by T. Vaux. This is the most famous setting of the poem, but there is also an earlier alternate setting.
• Arne, T. – Thou soft-flowing Avon (lyrics). Words by D. Garrick.
• Beethoven, L. van – Bundeslied (another version, lyrics). Words by J. W. von Goethe. The music was later adapted as the anthem of Lower Austria.
• Byrd, W. – My mind to me a kingdom is (lyrics). Words attributed to E. Dyer. Another, anonymous setting of the same poem later appeared in Pills to Purge Melancholy.
• Cenci, G. – La mantovana (lyrics, additional note). This one was very popular in the Renaissance and greatly influenced European folk music.
• Corkine, W. – Truth-trying time (lyrics).
• Cornysh, W. – Ah, robin (lyrics). Words by T. Wyatt. This version is arranged as a solo song, but the original was a round.
• Edwardes, R. – In commendation of music (lyrics).
• Eisler, H. – Kinderhymne (lyrics). Words by B. Brecht. It was written as a kind of counterpoint to the first verse of the German national anthem.
• The faithful lover (lyrics). Words by H. Howard.
• Farmelo, F. – The downfall of Charing Cross (lyrics).
• Ford, T. – Oh, how my soul (lyrics).
• Fougstedt, N.-E. – Romanssi (lyrics). Words by R. Palmroth.
• Greaves, T. – I will not force my thoughts (lyrics).
• Hannikainen, I. – Kalevalainen vieraan tervehdys (lyrics). Music written for the welcome song from the Kalevala.
• Have I caught my heavenly jewel? (lyrics). Words by P. Sidney, from his sonnet sequence Astrophil and Stella.
• Humfrey, P. – A young man sat sighing (lyrics). Yet another willow song.
• Johnson, R. – As I walked forth (lyrics).
• Jones, R. – Farewell, dear love (lyrics).
• Kryz͡hanivsʹkyĭ, D. – Reve ta stohne Dnipr shyrokyĭ (lyrics). Words by T. Shevchenko.
• Kurdesz (lyrics). A drinking song dedicated to Grzegorz Łyszkiewicz, one of the mayors of Old Warsaw.
• Lasso, O. di – Un jour vis un foulon (lyrics).
• Lawes, H.:
  • Disdain returned (lyrics). Words by T. Carew.
  • Self-blinding error (lyrics). Words adapted from W. Shakespeare’s Sonnet 116.
• Lee, A. L. – The dying Californian (lyrics). Words by K. Harris. There is also a traditional song and a religious hymn based on the same lyrics.
• Lüdig, M. – Koit (lyrics). Traditional opening song of Estonian song festivals, with words by F. Kuhlbars.
• Moniuszko, S.:
  • Krakowiaczek (lyrics). Words by E. Wasilewski. A Cracovienne best known for its bars 11–14, which were used as a jingle for TV Cracow.
  • Prząśniczka (lyrics). Words by J. Czeczot. A song most closely associated with the city of Łódź.
• Morley, T. – Will you buy a fine dog? (lyrics).
• Nicholson, R. –  Joan, quoth John (lyrics). The lyrics belong to the I cannot come every day to woo family.
• Pepys, S. – Beauty, retire (lyrics). Words by W. Davenant. Yes, composed by that Pepys.
• Poli͡achek, A. – Li͡ubovʹ k rodine (lyrics). Words by F. Savinov.
• Pieśń rokoszan Zebrzydowskiego (lyrics). Song of the Zebrzydowski rebels. Sometimes called the only complete Polish Renaissance song that deserves to be called a madrigal, although I suspect it was actually composed by a foreigner, as the lyrics sound like they were written by someone who spoke Polish as a second language.
• Schumann, R. – Die beiden Grenadiere 🎤 (lyrics). Words by H. Heine. The final strains are a musical paraphrase of the French La Marseillaise, and were themselves adapted as a melody for the Russian Workers’ Marseillaise.
• Simm, J. – Mulgimaale (lyrics). Song about the Estonian region of Mulgimaa, with words by H. Adamson.
• Smith, J. S. – The anacreontic song (lyrics). Words by R. Tomlinson. The official song of the Anacreontic Society in London. The music was later adapted as the national anthem of the United States of America.
• Solié, J.-P. – Qu’on soit jalouse (lyrics). From the opera Le Secret. Some people claim that the melody of the Polish song Boże, coś Polskę is derived from this, but personally I do not see much resemblance.
• Szentirmay E. – Csak egy szép lány (lyrics).
• A thousand kisses (lyrics). Words by W. Shakespeare, from his narrative poem Venus and Adonis.
• What if a day (lyrics). Words attributed to T. Campion. A Dutch song Merck toch hoe sterck was later set to this melody, in one of the many examples of links between Dutch and English Renaissance music.
• When Daphne from fair Phoebus did fly (lyrics).
• The willow song (lyrics). The best and most famous. Probably not a traditional tune, as it reminds me stylistically more of the early English theatre songs, although this is unlikely to be the setting used in the period productions of W. Shakespeare’s Othello.
• Wilson, J.:
  • From the fair Lavinian shore (lyrics).
  • In the merry month of May (lyrics). Words by N. Breton.
• Żeleński, W. – Góralu, czy ci nie żal? (lyrics). Words by M. Bałucki. Music sometimes attributed to M. Świerzyński.

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