Composer

:

Antony Holborne

Genre

:

Chamber

Style

:

Dance

Average_duration

:

2:06

Antony Holborne's "Teares of the Muses" is a collection of pavans, galliards, and almains for solo lute, published in London in 1599. The work is dedicated to Sir George Carey, a patron of the arts and a member of Queen Elizabeth I's court. The collection consists of 65 pieces, each named after one of the nine muses of Greek mythology. The pieces are grouped into nine "sets," with each set consisting of a pavan, galliard, and almain named after a different muse. The order of the sets follows the order of the muses in classical mythology: Calliope, Clio, Erato, Euterpe, Melpomene, Polyhymnia, Terpsichore, Thalia, and Urania. The pavans in "Teares of the Muses" are slow, stately dances in duple meter, while the galliards are faster, livelier dances in triple meter. The almain, also known as the allemande, is a moderate-paced dance in duple meter. Holborne's pavans are particularly notable for their expressive, melancholy character, which is reflected in the title of the collection. Holborne's music is characterized by its intricate counterpoint, rich harmonies, and use of ornamentation. His lute writing is highly idiomatic, exploiting the instrument's unique capabilities for polyphonic texture and expressive phrasing. The pieces in "Teares of the Muses" are also notable for their use of chromaticism, which was a relatively new technique in English music at the time. "Teares of the Muses" was an important contribution to the English lute repertoire of the late Renaissance. It was one of the first collections of lute music to be published in England, and it helped to establish the lute as a serious instrument for art music. The collection was also influential in shaping the English style of lute music, which was characterized by its expressive melancholy and use of chromaticism.

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