Chromaticism in English Lute Songs around 1600
by Ping Zhu
Date of Examination:2021-09-20
Date of issue:2021-12-08
Advisor:Prof. Dr. Andreas Waczkat
Referee:Prof. Dr. Andreas Waczkat
Referee:Prof. Dr. Peter Allsop
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Abstract
English
Chromaticism in early music has been the subject of considerable interest over recent years. The present dissertation continues this investigation into the field of chromaticism in English lute songs from the end of the sixteenth to the early seventeenth centuries, covering publications from 1597 to 1622. The study mainly examined the works of John Dowland, Robert Jones, Thomas Campion, and John Danyel, and also includes a small portion of ayres from other composers such as Thomas Morley, Thomas Ford, John Coprario, and John Maynard. It aims to explore how these English lute song composers approached chromatic techniques. The first part of the dissertation provides the necessary background. Chapter 1 briefly introduces the development of lute music in England until the golden age. Chapter 2 examines theories of chromaticism in the Late Renaissance, including the heated discussions in Italy and its specific mention in several English books. Chapter 3 demonstrates that chromatic music from the Continent became a significant source for English composers, and reveals a general picture of chromaticism in different genres other than the lute song. Chapter 4 discusses the theoretical basis of analysis, including modal theories and tonal references in contemporary treatises; it discusses the structure of English scales and the chronologic usage of signatures; a full explanation of the terminologies relating to the current study is given. The second part, the main body of the dissertation, analyses in detail a wide range of chromatic techniques as found in the repertories of the major four composers along with a selection of works from other lute song composers. Based on this analysis, the conclusion summarizes the reasoning behind the use of chromaticism in the examined English ayres, representing the preferences of each composer in tabulated form.
Keywords: Chromaticism, English lute songs, John Dowland, Robert Jones, Thomas Campion, John Danyel