Ouer these brookes, Robert Jones (fl. 1597 – 1617)
“Ouer these brookes” by Robert Jones is a contemplative, transparent, and mood-altering setting of a text by Sir Philip Sidney, drawn from The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia. Sidney’s poetry is always eminently suited for musical performance and this setting, from Jones’ The Second Booke of Songs and Ayres, 1601, is one of Jones’ best efforts. The lute accompaniment appears to be straightforward at first but places demands on the lutenist in maintaining clarity and transparency throughout the nine minutes or so required to perform the piece in its entirety with repeats. Our recording omits repeated refrains for the first two verses.
lyrics
Ouer these brookes trusting to ease mine eies,
Mine eies euen great in labour with her teares,
I laid my face, my face wherein there lies
Clusters of clowdes which no sunne euer cleeres,
In watry glasse, my watry eies I see
Sorrowes ill eased where sorrowes painted be.
My thoughts imprisoned in my secret woes,
With flamie breathes, doe issue oft in sound,
The sound to this strange aire no sooner goes,
But that it doth with Eccoes force rebound,
And make me heare the plaints I would refraine,
Thus outward helpes my inward griefes maintaine.
Now in this sand I would discharge my mind,
And cast from me part of my burdnous cares,
But in the sand my tales foretold I find,
And see therein how well the waters fares,
Since streams, ayre, sand, mine eyes and eares conspire,
What hope to quench, when each thing blowes the fire.
Mignarda specializes in thoughtful programming illuminating the vibrant mingling of renaissance music & poetry. Noted for
awakening modern audiences to an appreciation for historical music, their work encompasses concertizing, teaching & recording, with 17 critically-acclaimed CDs, a series of 16 music editions, scholarly articles, reviews and the internationally-popular blog, Unquiet Thoughts....more
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