Easy Sources of Period Music: An Annotated Bibliography

Primary Sources

Thomas Delone, Strange Histories (1602, though Delone died in 1599), available through Google. Ten songs, with music (but Delone also includes references to other tunes that may be suitable).

Charles Hindley, etc., The Roxburgh Ballads (1873), available through Greg Lindahl's site. This is a large collection of ballads "written between 1560 and 1700." Unfortunately, most of the ballads are undated, and very few have their music identified.

Joseph Lilly, Collection of Seventy-Nine Black Letter Ballads (1867, available through Google). These were all printed between 1559 and 1597, so they are definitely period. However, not all the tunes are known (the ballads have instructions like "To the tune of..." or even "To any pleasant tune..."). Both Delone and Lilly give the impression that lyrics were written for one tune, but were often sung to a different one.

Thomas Ravenscroft, Deuteromelia (1609), Melismata (1611), Pammelia (1609), and Psalmes (1621), available through Greg Lindahl's site. Includes lyrics and music and some surprises ("Three Blind Mice" from Deuteromelia, and the original "Marriage of Frog and Mouse" from Melismata).

Clement Robinson et al, Handful of Pleasant Delights (1584), available through Google. Thirty-three songs, with tunes identified but not included. Not all the tunes are known, and not all the known tunes scan properly to the songs.

Thomas Wright, The Political Songs of England (1839). The "songs" date from the reign of John to Edward II, so they are very early period; no music is identified, and in some cases it is arguable whether the label "song" is appropriate. However, it validates the practice of writing songs of protest, social justice, etc., etc.

Secondary Sources

I include all the books here that include musical scores that were arranged post-period. The above sources show that musical scores tended to be single melodic lines, without significant accompaniment and no chords.

Janet Dodge, Twelve Elizabethan Songs (1902), available through Google. Modern (re)arrangements of period musical sources.

William Chapell, Popular Music of the Olden Time (1859, republished by Dover, available through Google). This is a good example of how a music source book should be written: While not all of the musical scores are period, Chapell notes the source of the music and period references to the existence of a song by the same title; useful for a cross-reference for the period sources, above.

Noah Greenberg, An Elizabethan Song Book (1955), and An English Song Book (1961). These are fairly good collections of music and lyrics for period use.

Other Sources

Thoinot Arbeau, Orchesography. French lyrics (and English translation) for "Belle Qui" pavane.

Playford, The English Dancing Master. Notes include references to use of dance music in ballads.

More period music

SCA Filk

More atrocious songs

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