Composer

:

Various Composers

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Average_duration

:

6:37

"Can she excuse" is a popular Renaissance song composed by John Dowland, a prominent English composer and lutenist of the late 16th and early 17th centuries. The song was first published in Dowland's "First Booke of Songes or Ayres" in 1597. It is a melancholic love song that expresses the pain of unrequited love. The song is written in the form of a lute song, which was a popular genre of secular vocal music in the Renaissance period. The song is composed in the key of G minor and has a slow tempo. It consists of four verses, each with a refrain that repeats the title phrase "Can she excuse my wrongs with virtue's cloak?" The melody is characterized by its descending chromaticism, which creates a sense of melancholy and longing. The lyrics are in the form of a dialogue between the speaker and his beloved, with the speaker asking if his beloved can excuse his wrongs and betrayals. "Excuse moy" is a variation of "Can she excuse" composed by Jacob van Eyck, a Dutch composer and recorder player of the 17th century. Van Eyck's variation is written for solo recorder and is part of his collection of variations on popular songs called "Der Fluyten Lust-hof" (The Flute's Garden of Delights). The collection was first published in 1644 and contains over 140 variations on popular songs of the time. Van Eyck's variation on "Can she excuse" is written in the key of G major and has a lively tempo. It consists of several variations on the original melody, with added ornamentation and virtuosic flourishes. The variation is characterized by its use of trills, runs, and other embellishments, which showcase the technical abilities of the performer. The title "Excuse moy" is a French translation of the original title and reflects the popularity of Dowland's music in continental Europe. Overall, "Can she excuse" and "Excuse moy" are two examples of the popularity and influence of Renaissance music in the early modern period. Both pieces showcase the beauty and complexity of Renaissance music, with their intricate melodies, harmonies, and lyrics. They also demonstrate the versatility of Renaissance music, as they have been adapted and reinterpreted by composers and performers over the centuries.

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