Composer

:

Robert Jones

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Average_duration

:

2:39

"Fair Oriana Seeming to Wink at Folly" is a collection of 25 madrigals composed by Robert Jones in 1601. The collection was dedicated to Queen Elizabeth I, who was often referred to as "Oriana" in contemporary literature. The premiere of the collection is not recorded, but it was likely performed at court or in private settings for the queen and her courtiers. The collection is divided into five parts, each containing five madrigals. The first part is dedicated to the queen, while the subsequent parts are dedicated to various noblewomen of the court. The madrigals are written for five voices and feature intricate polyphony and word painting. The texts are primarily love poems, often with pastoral or mythological themes. The first part of the collection begins with the title madrigal, "Fair Oriana Seeming to Wink at Folly," which sets the tone for the rest of the collection. The text describes Oriana as a goddess who "winks at folly" and "smiles at love," suggesting that she is both wise and playful. The music is lively and playful, with frequent changes in tempo and meter. Other notable madrigals in the collection include "The Silver Swan," which features a descending chromatic melody that imitates the swan's dying song, and "Weep, O Mine Eyes," which uses descending chromaticism to convey the sadness of the text. "Fair Oriana Seeming to Wink at Folly" and the other madrigals in the collection demonstrate Jones's skill as a composer and his ability to create complex and expressive music within the constraints of the madrigal form. Overall, "Fair Oriana Seeming to Wink at Folly" is a significant contribution to the English madrigal repertoire and a testament to the flourishing of music and culture during the Elizabethan era.

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