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PEARSALL, Robert – Madrigal ‘Lay a Garland’ (c.1840) – 8 CELLOS

Other Identification:
“Lay a Garland” is an eight-part English madrigal by Robert Lucas de Pearsall (1795–1856), composed in 1840, set to a poem from the 1608-1611 play The Maid’s Tragedy by Francis Beaumont.

It is a secular piece that is a fine example of Pearsall’s interest in Renaissance style, noted for its “rich and expressive sonorities”, and features prominent use of suspension to create a poignant and mournful effect. The piece is known for its expressive polyphonic writing, reflecting Pearsall’s interest in Renaissance style.

The lyrics, originally a lament from the character Aspasia about her betrothed, are adapted to a third-person perspective for the madrigal, creating a mournful, funeral-like atmosphere.

The work was written for the Bristol Madrigal Society, which was founded around the time Pearsall returned to the area in 1836–1837. Pearsall later created a Latin contrafactum titled ‘Tu es Petrus’ near the end of his life (in 1854).

Movements or sections: marked ‘Con moto, maestoso’

Instrumentation: OCTET OF EIGHT CELLOS
Prepared by David Johnstone
This music is in 3 PDFs:
[1 – General Score
[2 – Cellos 1 to 4
[3 – Cellos 5 to 8

Approximate difficulty:
Medium
(top two voices perhaps medium-to-difficult)

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