Composer

:

Thomas Morley

Genre

:

Choral

Style

:

Choral

Compose Date

:

before 1594

Publication Date

:

1594

Average_duration

:

2:04

"Besides a fountain" is a madrigal composed by Thomas Morley, an English composer, in the late 16th century. The piece was first published in 1599 in Morley's collection of madrigals, "The First Book of Ballets to Five Voices." The madrigal is written for five voices, with the text describing a lover's encounter with his beloved beside a fountain. The piece is in the key of G major and is written in a homophonic style, with the voices moving together in harmony. The piece is divided into three sections or movements. The first movement begins with a lively and joyful melody, with the voices singing in unison to describe the beauty of the fountain and the surrounding landscape. The second movement is slower and more contemplative, with the voices singing in a more complex and intricate harmony to describe the lover's feelings for his beloved. The final movement returns to the joyful melody of the first, with the voices singing in unison once again to celebrate the lover's happiness and contentment. One of the characteristics of Morley's madrigals is his use of word painting, where the music reflects the meaning of the text. In "Besides a fountain," Morley uses word painting to depict the sound of the fountain, with the voices imitating the sound of water flowing and splashing. He also uses word painting to depict the lover's emotions, with the slower and more complex harmonies in the second movement reflecting the lover's contemplative and introspective mood. Overall, "Besides a fountain" is a beautiful and expressive madrigal that showcases Morley's skill as a composer. Its joyful melody and intricate harmonies make it a beloved piece of Renaissance music that is still performed and enjoyed today.

More....