As nearly as I could approximate it, the key suggested G minor, and the final notes sounded like the following: —
This, of course, may have been the idiosyncracy of the singer, but each verse, as I heard it, was consistent one with the other.
Doubtless such an authority as Mr. Cecil Sharp would be able to give an explanation of so interesting an experience.
It should be borne in mind that music, for long ages, was transmitted from one individual to another through the ear alone. The invention of a musical notation, even of the most primitive kind, being comparatively recent. The art of reading from it, in the Middle Ages, was practically restricted to the monks, whose creation it was.
Even to this day musical sight-reading is only mastered by comparatively few of a large population.
On this important point, the majority of the people of England are certainly not musical.
We shall later on deal with the earliest known examples of English vocal and instrumental music. For the moment we will consider the means at the disposal of the music-minded in mediæval days.
To the human voice we need not refer, since it is little susceptible of change from age to age.
Musical instruments were few in number and of a crude order in general. The bagpipe, hornpipe and others of a similar kind, together with stringed instruments in the earliest stage of development, being in most general use.
The viols, lute, virginals, recorders, and many others, belong to a much later period. The violin, as we know it, only arrived at perfection in the seventeenth century, when Stradivarius, Amati and Guanarius were making their marvellous instruments. But that they had instruments and even used them in combination is shewn by the following lines from Chaucer: —
"Cornemuse and shalmyes,
And many a maner pipe,"
and again,
"Both ye Dowced and ye Rede."
"Cornemuse" is generally accepted to mean a hornpipe.
"Shalmyes"4 was probably a reed instrument of the character of an oboe.
With regard to "ye Dowced" and "ye Rede," numerous controversies have failed to establish any definite conviction.
The poet, however, in another line mentions an instrument, of which there is no doubt possible: —
"A baggepipe coude wel he blowe and soune."
It is natural to suppose that progress in the art of making instruments would correspond to that in the art of music itself, and the ever-increasing intercourse with the Continent since the Conquest would bring knowledge of many before unknown; both France and Italy being far in advance of England in this respect.
References to them in Shakespeare's works are numerous.
To cite only a few.
In the first part of "Henry IV.": —
"Falstaff: S'blood! I am as melancholy as a gibcat or a lugged bear.
"Prince Henry: Or an old lion; or a lover's lute.
"Falstaff: Yea, or the drone of a Lincolnshire bagpipe."
In "Hamlet": —
"Hamlet: … Will you play upon this pipe?
"Guildenstern: My lord, I cannot.
"Guildenstern: I know no touch of it, my lord.
"Hamlet: 'Tis as easy as lying: govern these ventages with your fingers and thumb, give it breath with your mouth, and it will discourse most eloquent music. Look you, these are the stops."
We will content ourselves with one more quotation. It consists of some lines of incomparable beauty from the sonnets: —
"How oft, when thou, my music, music play'st,
Upon that blessed wood whose motion sounds
With thy sweet fingers, when thou gently sway'st,
The wiry concord that mine ear confounds,
Do I envy those jacks, that nimble leap
To kiss the tender inward of thy hand,
Whilst my poor lips, which should that harvest reap,
At the wood's boldness by thee blushing stand."
By the time of Queen Elizabeth the number and variety of instruments had greatly increased as the following lines by the poet, Michael Drayton, shew. It may be mentioned in explanation of the words, "the viol best in setts," that it was customary in those days to enclose in one case a set of these instruments, treble, tenor and bass, the last-named being probably the viol da gamba, the predecessor of the modern violoncello.
"The English that repined to be delayed so long,
All quickly at the hint, as with one free consent,
Strook up at once and sang each to the instrument;
(Of Sundry sorts there were, as the musician likes)
On which the practiced hand with perfect'st fingering strikes,
Whereby their right of skill might liveliest be expressed.
The trembling lute some touch, some strain the violl best,
In setts which there were seene, the music wondrous choice,
Some likewise there affect the Gamba with the voice,
To shew that England could varietie afforde
Some that delight to touch the sterner wyerie chord,
The Cithron, the Pandore, and the Theorbo strike;
The Gittern and the Kit the wandering fidlers like.
So there were some againe, in this their learned strife,
Loud instruments that loved, the Cornet and the Phife,
The Hoboy, Sagbut deepe, Recorder and the Flute,
Even from the shrillest Shawn unto the Cornemute,
Some blow the Bagpie up, that plaies the country 'round,
The Tabor and the Pipe, some take delight to sound."
As some of the above-mentioned instruments are probably unknown to the majority of readers, I will select for explanation a few that seem least likely to be familiar: —
Cithron– An instrument with wire strings, like a German zither.
Pandore– A variety of the foregoing.
Theorbo– A large double-necked instrument of the lute family. It somewhat resembles, on a larger scale, the modern mandoline.
Gittern– Resembles the guitar. Chaucer refers to it more than once.
Kit– Diminutive violin.
Sagbut– Akin to the slide trombone.
Recorder– A wind instrument of the clarinet family.
Tabor– A small drum. In olden times used as an accompaniment to the pipe.
We have alluded to the possible effect on music of the return of numbers of men from the wars of the Crusades. We pass now to the probable effect on the morals of the people, with special reference to the musicians of the period. One of the first results would be to swell the numbers of itinerant musicians and players who were already a source of trouble not only to the custodians of the law, but to the average law-abiding citizen.
It is not to be supposed that the restless spirit of these wanderers through