The Tragedy of BONDUCA. Or The British Heroine. The Play written by John Fletcher (published 1647) The Music in the Play Composed by.

Transcription

1 The Tragedy o BONDUCA Or The British Heroine The Play written by John Fletcher (published 147) The Music in the Play Composed by Mr Henry Purcell (in 195) VOCAL SCORE Overture 1 Air 1 Minuet 1 1 Catch or Three Soldiers 1 2 Chorus: Hear us, great Rugwith, hear! 2 Song: Hear, ye Gods o Britain! 11 4 Duet: Sing, ye Druids 14 5 Recitative: Divine Andate 21 Duet: To Arms! 22 Hornpipe 2 Air 2 7 Solo & Chorus: Britons, strike home! 2 Hornpipe 0 8 Bonduca s Air: O Lead me to some peaceul gloom 1 Solemn Air 4

2 HENRY PURCELL THEATRE MUSIC As England's greatest composer o the Baroque, Henry Purcell was dubbed the "Orpheus Britannicus" or his ability to combine pungent English counterpoint with expressive, lexible, and dramatic word settings. While he did write instrumental music, including the important viol antasias, the vast majority o his output was in the vocal/choral realm. His only opera, Dido and Aeneas, divulged his sheer mastery in the handling o the work's vast expressive canvas, which included lively dance numbers, passionate arias and rollicking choruses. Purcell also wrote much incidental music or stage productions, including that or Dryden's King Arthur. Purcell was born in 159 to Henry Purcell, master o choristers at Westminster Abbey, and his wie Elizabeth. When he was ive, his ather died, orcing his mother to resettle the amily o six children into a more modest house and liestyle. In about 18, Purcell became a chorister in the Chapel Royal, studying under chorus master Henry Cooke. He also took keyboard lessons rom Christopher Gibbons, son o the composer Orlando Gibbons, and it is likely that he studied with John Blow and Matthew Locke. In 17, Purcell was appointed assistant to John Hingeston, the royal instrument keeper. On September 10, 177, Purcell was given the Court position o composerinordinary or the violins. It is believed that many o his church works date rom this time. Purcell, a great keyboard virtuoso by his late teens, received a second important post in 179, this one succeeding Blow as organist at Westminster Abbey, a position he would retain all his lie. That same year saw the publication o ive o the young composer's songs in John Playord's Choice Ayres and Songs to Sing to the Theorbolute or viol. With the accession o William and Mary to the throne on April 11, 189, Purcell retained his post as royal instrument keeper, and he, along with Blow and Alexander Damazene, shared the duties o Court composers. With his royal duties reduced, he was able to pursue other opportunities, including teaching and writing or other organisations. One o Purcell's greatest successes came in 189 with the production o Dido and Aeneas. He collaborated with John Dryden on King Arthur in 191, and also composed the music or The FairyQueen (192), based on Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream both productions also scoring triumphs. In the inal year o his lie Purcell remained exceedingly busy, writing much or the stage, including The Indian Queen, let incomplete at his death on November 21, 195. I Bonduca is dierent it is because it seems to be without any Italianate tendencies. It is perhaps particularly English and presumably deliberately so to enhance the patriotic eel. [Bonduca is Boadicea or Boudica, the British heroine who ought against the Romans]. One o the last things he wrote, the music was written or the play o the same name by John Fletcher, which was published in 147. It is more substantial than many o Purcell s theatre works, which are sometimes just a song or two, or a ew instrumental numbers. There is no sense that Fletcher s uninspiring, politically motivated text inhibited his creativity. The drunks' song Jack Thou art a Toper has a humorously boozy lilt and the chorus Britons Strike Home is as sinewstiening as anything he wrote. Sing Ye Druids runs over a cunning ground bass and Oh Lead Me to some peaceul gloom borrows its opening phrase rom Dowland's Lachrimae in a conscious harking back to a golden age. Graham Coatman (March 2010)

3 or 1 or 2 or T1 have Music in the Play o Bonduca (composed 195) The Tragedy o Bonduca, or The British Heroine, by John Fletcher Jack, thou'rt a None ree, but a I'm t'o ther quart; Overture [tacet] Air and Minuet [tacet] 1 Catch or Three Soldiers to per, Jack, drun kard, ree, Ring, ring, and a ring, thou'rt drun kard, ring, a, so are you, ring, a thou'rt drunkard a so are you, ring, a ring, Henry Purcell (15995) to per, let's drunkard bully'd ring, so are you ring, to T2 T T1 T2 T 11 by call ring, bold his and we're com ing, wie, knock, so For knock com ing, com ing, late, ly 'tho coming, com ing, com ing, com ing, com ing, com ing, com ing, com ing, com ing, bold so ber, so ly, knock watchmen cry so ber, so ears past a do bold so mes ly, knock bold ber 'twere a shame ly, knock to part. tic strie. two a clock. I'm to 2 to

4 2 2 Chorus: Hear us great Rugwith Oboe Oboe Soprano Alto Andante maestoso or Violin I Violin II Andante maestoso Viola Violoncello & Contrabass

5 7 p p p 14 p Alt solo 1st Druid(ess) Hear us great, great Rug with, cresc. cresc. cresc. cresc.

6 4 21 Sop Chorus great Hear us great, great Rug with, hear our prayers! Hear us great, Alt hear! Hear us great, great, hear us great, great, great, Hear us great, great, Rug with hear, hear our prayers! Hear us great, great Rug with, hear! Hear us great, great

7 5 2 Sop Rug with, hear, hear, hear our prayers! Alt Rug Hear with, hear us geat, our Rug great prayers! withhear! solo 2nd Druid solo 1st Druid(ess) De end, deend thy Bri tish Isle! Re vive our Rug with, hear, hear our prayers! p

8 1 Sop solo 2nd Druid(ess) Nor let thine al tars be mans' the Ro spoil. Chorus Hear us great, great Alt hopes, disperse our ears, Chorus Chorus Hear Hear us, great, us, cresc.

9 7 Sop Rug with, hear! great, great Rug with, hear! Descend, ye pow'rs! Alt Chorus Hear great, great, us, great, great, great, great, great, great great great, great Rug with, hear! Rug with, hear! Rug with, hear! De scend, ye pow'rs! De scend, ye Descend, ye

10 8 Sop Alt 41 Descend, de scend, ye pow'rs di vine! pow'rs! De scend, ye pow'rs! Descend, de De scend, ye scend, ye pow'rs pow'rs pow'rs di vine! descend, de scend, ye di di vine! descend, de vine! De scend, ye Descend, ye scend, ye pow'rs pow'rs pow'rs pow'rs di di di di Sop Alt 4 vine. vine. vine. vine. solo rd Druid De scend in Cha riots o e p the real lame and touch, and touch the al tars p p p

11 9 52 Sop O us! O us! us! Alt O us! O us! us! you de end! O O us! us! O O us! us! us! us!

12 10 5 Sop us! O our na tion and our name. Alt us! O our na tion and our name. us! our na tion and our name. us! our na tion and our name.

13 Song: Hear, ye Gods o Britain! 11 Andante maestoso solo: rd Druid Hear! Ye Gods o Bri tain! Hear, ye Gods o Bri tain! Hear us this day! Andante maestoso Let us not all, let us not all the Roman Eagle's prey! Clip,clip their wings, clip,clip their wings,

14 12 9 clip,clip their wings or chase 'em home, 12 and check the tow' ring pride o Rome, and check the 14 tow' ring pride o Rome, o Rome, o Rome.

15 1 1 Clip their wings, or chase 'em home, clip their wings or chase 'em 18 home, clip,clip their wings, or chase'em home, and check the 21 tow' ring pride o Rome, o Rome, o Rome, o Rome.

16 14 S2 Allegro moderato solo: 1st Priestess solo: 2nd Priestess 4 Duet: Sing, ye Druids, sing! p Allegro moderato p 7 p 1

17 Sing,

18 1 S2 4 ye Dru ids, Sing, ye Dru ids all! ye Dru ids all! S2 S2 49 All, All, all, all, all, all, your your voi voi ces raise, ces raise, 55 voi ces raise, voi ces raise, sing all, all, sing sing all, all, all, all, all, all, your your all, all, voi voi your your ces ces 1 raise To cele brate, to celebrate di vine Anda te's praise. To S2 raise To cele brate, to celebrate di vine Anda te's praise. To

19 7 17 ce le brate, to celebrate di vine Anda te's praise. Sing, sing. S2 ce le brate, to celebrate di vine Anda te's praise. Sing, S2 7 sing di sing vine di An vine An da te, di da te, di vine An vine, da di te, di vine vine An S2 S2 79 An da da te's praise. te's praise. Sing, Sing, 84 Dru Dru ids, ids, Sing, Sing, sing sing di di ye Dru vine vine ye Dru ids, ids, sing ye sing ye

20 18 S2 S2 89 An da 94 vine da An te, di te's praise, An da te's praise, di vine An di da te, di da te, di vine, di vine 99 Sing, sing ye Dru ids, An vine An da sing ye Dru vine te's praise. da te's praise. ids, An sing di S2 Sing, sing ye Dru ids, sing ye Dru ids, sing di S2 104 vine vine An da te's An da te's

21 praise. Sing, sing di vine S2 praise. Sop Sing, sing di vine Alt Sing, Sing, Sing, sing di vine

22 An da te's praise. S2 sing divine An da te's praise. Sop Alt An da sing sing divine An di vine An te's praise. da te's praise. da te's praise. Anda te's praise.

23 21 5 Recitative: Divine Andate Chie Druid Di vine An da te, pre sident o war, the or tune o the day de 4 clare, shall we, 4 2 shall we to the Ro mans yield? Or 5 shall each arm that wields a spear, strike it thro' a mas sy shield? 7 8 And dye with man Ro blood the ield, dye with Ro! 10 man blood the # # 7 # 4 4 # ield?

24 22 Duet: To Arms! To Arms! 5

25 2 9 1

26 24 1 Fine Fine 18 1st Druid To arms! To arms! rd Druid 22 to To arms! To arms! arms, to arms, arms, to arms, to arms, to arms, to arms, to arms to to arms, to arms to your arms, en gines straight dis play! to your arms, to arms, en gines straight dis play!

27 24 now, now, now, now, 25 now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, 2 o ra o cle or war ra cle or war now now set the set the 28 clares, de de clares, clares, bat bat tle in ar ray! The tle in ar ray! The or or war war de de suc cess de pends, suc cess de pends up on our hearts and clares, suc cess de pends, suc cess de pends up on our hearts and 0 spears. spears. The The o o ra cle or war ra cle or war de clares, de clares, or or

28 2 2 D.C. al Fine war declares suc cess depends, success depends up on our hearts and spears. war declares suc cess depends, success depends up on our hearts and spears. D.C. al Fine Hornpipe and Air 7 Solo & Chorus: Britons, strike home!

29 Chie Druid Bri tons, strikehome! Re 28 venge, re 7 5 venge your 5 4 coun try'swrongs! 7 Fight and re cord, Fight and re

30 28 7 cord your 2 selves 7 in Fight and 5 re Tutti & Chorus 7 Dru 7 cord, id's song. # re cord 5 your selves 7 4 Fight in 5 and # re cord, Dru id's song. 4 Sop Fight Bri tons, strike home! Re venge, re venge your coun try's wrongs! and re Alt Bri tons, strike home! Re venge, re venge your coun try's wrongs! Fight and re Bri tons, strike home! Re Bri tons, strike home! Re venge, re venge, re venge your venge your coun try's wrongs! coun try's wrongs! Fight Fight and re and re

31 29 59 Sop Fight cord, and re cord your selves in Dru id's song. Alt cord, Fight and re cord your selves in Dru id's song. cord, Fight and re cord your selves in Dru id's song. cord, Fight and re cord your selves in Dru id's song.

32 0 7 Sop Fight and re cord, Fight and re cord, re cord your selves in Druid's song. Alt Fight and re cord, Fight and re cord, re cord your selves in Druid's song. Fight and re cord, Fight and re cord, re cord your selves in Druid's song. Fight and re cord, Fight and re cord, re cord your selves in Druid's song. Hornpipe

33 8 Bonduca's Air: O lead me to some peaceul gloom 1 p Andante Andante p Bonduca O O lead me, lead me to some peace p p gloom, where none 10 but sigh ing, none but sigh ing, sigh ing lov 4 5 ul ers come: Where the shrill, the shrill trumpets never sound, 7 nev er,

34 2 1 nev er sound, but one e ter nal hush, one e ter nal hush goes round! !5 7 Allegretto Allegretto There let me 7 sooth my pleas ing pain, 2 there let me sooth my 4 pleas ing pain, and never, never think o war, 4 5

35 2 never, never think o war, never, never think o war, never, never think o, 7 never, nev er, never think o war a gain. What # # # 4 glo 4 glo ry, what # ry, what glo ry can, can a lov er have to con quer, to 4

36 4 50 con quer, yet be still a slave, what glo ry, what glo ry can a lov er have to con quer, to con quer, to con quer, yet be 2 still, still a slave, yet, yet be still, yet, yet be still, yet, yet be still, still a slave. A Solemn Air [FINIS]