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The Music of Britain (and Ireland)
Overview:
Join Active Minds as we travel musically to Jolly Old England. We’ll explore some of the folk and courtly roots of British music and discuss the progress of concert music from Handel in the Baroque Era through Elgar, Vaughn-Williams and Britten; into the first decades of the 20th Century. From lush to provocative; the Brits have dished-up a full feast of music for us to sample. No experience is necessary.
Key Lecture Points:
• The history of music from the British Isles comes from pagan rituals, Christian churches, the courts of the regal monarchies as well as from the people on the street. From the bawdy songs of the taverns, to the religious music of the Protestant Reformation, each has a rich history that lives on today. From the pens of Thomas Tallis and Heny VIII (yes, that king!), and from Handel to Edward Elgar, British music has been well-respected, accessible and prolific.
• Early musical influences were amalgams of English, Scots, Welch and Irish musical traditions. As monarchies changed, so did the musical influences. Sea-shanties, hornpipes and country dances defined the English mood as the Empire expanded.
• Much like the troubadours of Southern Europe, British folk traditions were handed-down via song and travelling minstrels; song-stories about legends as Robin Hood and Camelot helped “embellish” the stories. Short ballads and religious carols became very popular as original British art forms. Stage music for theatrical presentations was flourishing during Shakespeare’s time—that tradition was always a part of the fiber of the British culture.
• German-born English composer George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) was the first well-known British composer of the Baroque period (1600-1750). His music was exemplified in The Messiah as well as Water Music, and Music for the Royal Fireworks. He was one of the first composers who sought to bring music to the common people and who wrote music for charity. He died blind; but, extremely famous at the age of 78.
• The hymns of Charles Wesley; the stage music of Arthur Sullivan; the marches of Edward Elgar; the film music of William Walton and the symphonies of Ralph Vaughn-Williams all became iconic and foundational to the “English sound.” British composers of the 19th and 20th centuries abounded, most all emulating the above composers.
• Britain was one of the first countries to establish formidable schools of music. Because of that, there were musicians sufficient to populate well-renowned orchestras and ensembles throughout the years. Talented musicians were most always held in high esteem and usually paid well, relatively speaking. As exemplary musical stages became in vogue, the results were venues such as Royal Albert Hall and Covent Garden.
• English “pick-up” orchestras such as The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields and Bournemouth Sinfonietta, added to the superb recording facilities available in London helped produce prolific numbers of recorded material by English ensembles. Hence, we are also the beneficiaries of composers such as Gerald Finzi, Fredrick Delius, John Taverner, Benjamin Britten, Gustav Holst, Andrew Lloyd Webber and ,yes, Lennon and McCartney.
• The “British Invasion” helped define music for many Americans. The blending of provocative commentary with innovative melodies became the indentifying feature of groups like The Beatles. It’s a traceable tradition that goes back to Medieval times.
Exploration Questions:
• Over the past two centuries, how has Britain significantly contributed to musical tastes word-wide?
• How did wars affect music in Great Britain?
• Which Irish/English pianist-composer “invented” the nocturne?
Reflective Questions:
• Can you hum Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance March? Did you graduate to it?
• What is the most memorable British folksong you can remember?
• Has the absence of a language barrier influenced your opinion of British music?
More to Explore:
• George Frideric Handel: http://gfhandel.org
• Edward Elgar: www.elgar.org
• Early English Music: http://internetshakespeare.uvic.ca
Books For Further Reading:
• Hogwood, Christopher, Handel, Thames & Hudson (2007), 312 pages. Christopher Hogwood takes us back to the original Handel, blending the evidence from documents of all kinds with judicious biographical observations as well as a delightful selection of illustrations. The result is a comprehensive and entertaining portrait of the developing character and career of Handel. It contains a chronological table and traces the Handel legend down to our own time. Click here to order.
• Marsh, Christopher, Music and Society in Early Modern England (with Audio CD), Cambridge University Press (2010), 624 pages. Christopher Marsh offers a fascinating and broad-ranging account of musicians, the power of music, broadside ballads, dancing, psalm-singing and bell-ringing. Drawing on sources ranging from ballads, plays, musical manuscripts and diaries to wills, inventories, speeches and court records, he investigates the part played by music in the negotiation of social relations, revealing its capacity both to unify and to divide. The book is lavishly illustrated and is accompanied by a CD featuring forty-eight specially commissioned recordings. Click here to order.
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