Shakespeare and Music — Edition Insights

Shakespeare did not write the words, Henry VIII. did, and, anyway, he was in the period. That versatile king, poet, and theologian also wrote music, and very beautiful music, to his own lyrics. The opening music in my edition of the score consists of a long fanfare leading up to a not very dignified march, rather recalling happy old Savoy days than the Shakespeare or Shakespeare-Fletcher drama. The second theme is also rather of the cheap variety, and the third is reminiscent of Rossini; but I am certain that, judging from the high level of excellence shown in the "Graceful Dance" and "King's Song," much very beautiful music is hidden away in manuscript. Sullivan's setting of "Orpheus with his lute" is one of the most beautiful songs in the English language. It is a very early work of the composer, written long before the rest of his _Henry VIII._ music. The accompaniment is strangely reminiscent of Schubert's _Who is Sylvia?_

+Macfarren's+ part-song to the same words is also beautiful, and gives the words their real meaning when properly sung and phrased. The lyric is difficult to set, and when set difficult to sing. Most singers give one the idea that {46} Orpheus made trees with his lute. It is not always the singer's fault, as several composers give this effect. The blame is also a little with Shakespeare or Fletcher for separating the word "trees" so far from the word "bow." Since writing the above, I hear, on the best authority, that of the late Dr F. J. Furnivall, that Fletcher undoubtedly wrote the lyric: so to him is due the blame of misleading simple composers.

Mr Barclay Squire, in his contribution to the _Book of Homage to Shakespeare_, 1916, entitled "Shakespearian Operas," says concerning Julius Caesar: "There are innumerable operas, mostly of the eighteenth century, on Julius Caesar, as to which Riemann and Clement and Larousse may be consulted; but it is very doubtful whether any of them are founded on Shakespeare." I myself went through Handel's opera on the subject, but when I discovered that Cleopatra had an important part in the work I put it on one side: I always funk trying to connect a Caesar and Cleopatra opera with the Shakespeare play. Perhaps Handel was merely anticipating Bernard Shaw's brilliant _Caesar and Cleopatra_, but, any way, Handel was not dreaming of Shakespeare's work.

_A List of Songs and Passages in Shakespeare which have been set to Music_, compiled by Greenhill, Harrison, and F. J. Furnivall, does not give one line which has been treated musically.

Of incidental music very little remains; Schumann's overture I treat of later, and von Buelow's I cannot find in the Museum library or anywhere else; but +Raymond Roze's+ orchestral suite, _Julius Caesar_, based on the music he composed for Sir Herbert Tree's revival at His Majesty's on January 22, 1898, is published and easily obtainable.

The overture commences with Caesar's "March Motive," and here is shown an absolute freedom from Wardour Street Roman music: it is quite as modern as Mr Roze {48} could be. The next episode appears to be the Conspirators' Music; it is _agitato_, but of a curious Mendelssohnian simplicity, and leads to a naive Wagnerian theme, in which the characteristic slow turn is used with great effect. This runs into the Caesar march theme _pianissimo_, with harp effects, leading up to a brilliant coda on the Caesar _motif_, with a moving bass and full orchestral effects for the close. The prelude to Act ii. is a very emotional piece of music, sometimes dramatic, often melodramatic, but always exciting and comfortably away from any thought of the historic period. The prelude to Act iii. opens with a fine broad theme for the brass, much of which, curiously enough, might possibly have been played on trumpets of Caesar's time. After this, Mr Roze naturally takes a rest from his museum researches, and the rest of the prelude is quite innocent of anything that would remind a Roman centurion, if he came to life now, of his past existence: it is most modern in the 1898 manner, and Professor Ebenezer Prout, had Mr Roze shown him the score, would probably have told him to "run away and try to be a better boy." Still, there are excellent points in this music, and I wish that more of it were published.

+Robert Schumann's+ _Julius Caesar_ overture, Op. 128, is a fine example of the composer's sonorous and sombre style. Any musician on hearing it could guess the composer's name at first shot, but I defy anyone to guess its title. There is no attempt at ancient Roman effects, the style being much the same as that of his _Manfred_ overture, written some years earlier.