6 AS YOU LIKE IT. Act II. Scene 5. The Forest of Arden. Enter AMIENS, JAQUES, and others. Before I speak for myself as to the music belonging to the beautiful pastoral now in question, I wish to let Mr. Linley be heard. The following are his words respecting the music for Amiens in "As you like it : "In this charming play of our immortal bard he has introduced several songs, two of which have been delightfully set by the late Dr. Arne. Of both these pieces the Doctor has omitted to notice some of the words; a circumstance greatly to be regretted, and difficult to be accounted for. The first song, 'Under the greenwood tree,' is in the play followed by a chorus, Who doth ambition shun,' which could not so well have been sung to the opening strain, but how easily, and with what superior characteristic effect could he not have proceeded with the chorus in question." Dr. Arne's felicitous setting of Amiens' first song, "Under the greenwood tree," is of course well known to everyone who cares for Shakespeare and for music. It had at first seemed to me, as to Mr. Linley, singular that the Doctor had not included the words "Who doth ambition shun" in his composition-setting them to another, or varied strain, of course; but it has since occurred to me, that at all events it does not follow but that the Doctor may have composed "Who doth ambition shun" as a chorus, following the stage direction of "All together here," and yet that it may never have been printed. All who are interested in old opera and oratorio music know how unmercifully choruses and recitatives are left unprinted. It must also be remembered that there is a certain amount of most characteristic dialogue, which takes place between the close of Amiens' song and the introduction of the chorus. This dialogue I should now like to give, both for its own sake and as showing that, in the drama, "Under the greenwood tree," and "Who doth ambition shun" are really two distinct pieces. "JAQUES. More, more, I pr'ythee, more. AMIENS. It will make you melancholy, Monsieur Jaques. JAQUES. I thank it. More, I pr'ythee, more. I can suck melancholy out of a song, as a weasel sucks eggs. More, I pr'ythee, more. AMIENS. My voice is ragged; I know I cannot please you. JAQUES. I do not desire you to please me; I do desire you to sing; come, more; another stanza; call you them stanzas? AMIENS. What you will, Monsieur Jaques. JAQUES. Nay, I care not for their names; they owe me nothing. Will you sing? AMIENS. More at your request, than to please myself. JAQUES. Well then, if ever I thank any man, I'll thank you; but that they call compliment is like the encounter of two dog-apes; and when a man thanks me heartily, methinks I have given him a penny, and he renders me the beggarly thanks. Come, sing; and you that will not, hold your tongues. AMIENS. I'll end the song. Sirs, cover the while; the duke will drink under this tree; he hath been all this day to look you. JAQUES. And I have been all this day to avoid him. He is too disputable for my company. I think of as many matters as he; but I give heaven thanks, and make no boast of them. Come, warble, come." Observe here the expression used by Jaques, "Come, sing; and you that will not, hold your tongues." From this it plainly seems that Jaques looks for a chorus; and although Amiens replies, "I'll end the song," that would merely relate to the fact that he is the leader of the rest-the solo singer whenever, not merely a song, is required, but also the little piece of solo requirement which often belongs to a chorus. The want which in this case Mr. Linley felt, he has in some measure supplied, so far as his own work was concerned, by composing music to the words, "Who doth ambition shun," as a chorus to follow Ꭰ at once upon Dr. Arne's song. Still the dramatic effect is not attained, as Mr. Linley has written his chorus for first and second sopranos and bass (with a view to performance in the drawing-room only), and not for male voices entirely, as required by the stage situation. Dr. Arne's melody has been arranged as a glee for four male voices, by Sir Henry Bishop, and in that form was introduced into the operatised "Comedy of Errors." In Mr. W. Chappell's work is a simple air to the words of Amiens' song, and there is a little three-voiced "Under the greenwood tree," in a book of vocal compositions by Maria Hester Park (date, about 1790). Lastly, as far as I at present know, there is a very elaborate setting of the song (including the words, "Who doth ambition shun") by Mr. Stafford Smith, 1792. The first soprano part of this composition, which is a glee for four voices, is of a somewhat florid character, and the glee altogether is one which, I doubt not, if it were skilfully performed, would give much pleasure to the Shakespearian musician. Act II. Scene 7. The Forest of Arden. DUKE senior, AMIENS, Lords and others. A table set out. Enter thou winter wind," is of Shakespeare and music. Dr. Arne's beautiful setting of Amiens' song, Blow, blow, course known to everyone who thinks of It does, however, really seem somewhat singular that the Doctor should have omitted to set the burthen, Heigh, ho! the holly," &c. It cannot but be considered as a great mistake not to have set the poem entire. Mr. Linley has remarked upon the fact of this omission, and has accordingly composed the music himself for the burthen, and has added it to Dr. Arne's melody. Mr. Linley, as I imagine, has executed his self-imposed task very felicitously, and it can hardly be conceived that anyone, after hearing the song with Mr. Linley's addition, would ever desire to hear the Doctor's beautiful melody without Shakespeare's "Heigh, ho! the holly," as made musical by Mr. Linley. N.B. Any baritone desirous of singing Amiens' Amiens' song, with Mr. Linley's added, "Heigh, ho! the holly," will find the whole flow on very pleasantly by transposition into the key of E b, which will then make the highest note fall upon the upper F. Mr. R. J. Stevens has set Amiens' song in its entirety as a fourvoiced glee, for soprano, alto, tenor and bass, producing a very attractive composition of its kind; and Sir Henry Bishop, having harmonised Dr. Arne's air for four male voices (to be introduced into the operatised Comedy of Errors)," has added, with the proper acknowledgment to Mr. Stevens, the burthen from his glee. In this case Sir Henry has raised the key from Bb, the original key, as sung by Mr. Lowe (at least according to the printed copy), to C, so as to use an alto voice for the melody, accompanied by two tenors and a bass. Of Dr. Arne's melody strictly, there is another arrangement, as a glee for four male voices, by the eminent glee composer John Danby. In this case the original key is retained, so that the glee might be called one for three tenors and a bass. In a collection of vocal music composed by Samuel Webbe, the younger, published about 1830, will be found an elaborate setting, as a glee for five voices, of Amiens' song, complete, as written by Shakespeare. There is a setting of this song by the Hon. Mrs. Dyce Sombre. This is a slow air (in the key of D), and suitable for either contralto or baritone, or indeed for any voice, the compass being only from the lower C to D. The melody is simple, and not without a certain feeling, however remote from the merits of that by Dr. Arne. The burthen, "Heigh, ho! the holly," is omitted. There is also a setting of Amiens' song by Agnes Zimmerman, which I find reviewed in the Athenæum for June the 27th, 1863. Not having seen this setting myself, I must transcribe the words of the critic, who, of this and of another composition by Miss Zimmerman, is pleased to write that they "go far to justify the reputation gained by this young lady in the Royal Academy." The critic then goes on to give his view, that— "There is a certain ungraciousness of character in the Shakespeare song, referable, no doubt, to the words; but be it right, be it wrong, we prefer Arne's rendering. The mixture of melancholy, melody and freshness in his setting is almost unparagoned in the library of Shakespeare songs." |