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Did Purcell Set The Tempest?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2020

Margaret Laurie
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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.

Type
Research Article
Information
Proceedings of the Royal Musical Association , Volume 90 , 1963 , pp. 43 - 57
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Musical Association, 1963

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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