As You Like It: Incidental Music
James Nathaniel Holland
About this work:
Haven’t we all wanted to give up our daily rat races and run away to the great outdoors, to live under the greenwood trees and sleep under the stars. In this particular case, however, Rosalinde and the other “merry men” of the woods have been banished there. And thus sets the premise for Shakespeare’s famous play, As You Like It.
Kate Powers, a superb director, came to me needing music for a production of “As You Like It.” Her unique vision set the play in the 1960’s, which vividly enhanced one of its main themes, the conflict between establishment and anti-establishment.
Like the 1960’s themselves, the following songs are a colorful melange of the many styles of the period. See if you can pick out the Folk, the Psychedelic, the Soul, and even Bossa Nova elements.
Finally, it was Kate’s idea to use Sonnet 138 for the closing. She liked it so much, she included it on her website. Check out this other arrangement used in the play itself at http://www.plainkate.com/AYLI.htm
If you would like to perform any of these songs, but have different ensemble requirements, please e-mail me. We’ll work something out!
I. UNDER THE GREENWOOD TREE
v1.
Under the greenwood tree,
Who loves to lie with me,
And turn his merry note
Unto the sweet bird's throat,
Come hither, come hither, come hither;
Here shall he see
No enemy
But winter and rough weather.
v2.
Who doth ambition shun,
And loves to live i' the sun,
Seeking the food he eats,
And pleas'd with what he gets,
Come hither, come hither, come hither.
Here shall he see
No enemy
But winter and rough weather.
II. BLOW, BLOW THOU WINTER WIND
[Text in brackets are added or enhanced lyrics]
v1.
Blow, blow, thou winter wind,
Thou art not so unkind
As man's ingratitude;
Thy tooth is not so keen,
Because thou art not seen,
Although thy breath be rude.
Chorus:
Heigh-ho! sing heigh-ho! unto the green holly:
Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly:
Then, heigh-ho, the holly! This life is most jolly.
v2.
Freeze, freeze, thou bitter sky,
That dost not bite so nigh
As benefits forgot:
Though thou the waters warp,
Thy sting is not so sharp
As friend remember'd not.
Heigh-ho! sing, heigh-ho! &c.
III. IN THE SPRINGTIME
v1.
I saw a lover and his lass,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey [noninonino],
That o'er the green corn-field did pass
[Singin’ hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino-wo!]
Chorus:
In the spring time, the only pretty ring time,
When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding:
Sweet lovers love the spring.
v2.
Between the acres of the rye,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey [noninonino],
These pretty country folks would lie,
[Singin’ hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino-wo!]
In the spring time, &c.
v3.
This carol they began that hour,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey [noninonino],
How that a life was but a flower,
[Singin’ hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino-wo!]
In the spring time, &c.
v4.
And therefore take the present time,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey [noninonino],
For love is crowned with the prime,
[Singin’ hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino-wo!]
In the spring time, &c.
IV. HYMEN’S WEDDING SONG AND DANCE
v1.
Wedding is great Juno's crown;
O blessed bond of board and bed!
'Tis Hymen peoples every town;
High wedlock then be honoured;
Honour, high honour, and renown,
To Hymen, god of every town!
v2.
[Good duke, receive thy daughter;
Hymen from heaven brought her,
That thou mightst join her hand with his,
Whose heart within his bosom is. ]
Honour, high honour, &c.
V. SONNET 138
When my love swears that she is made of truth,
I do believe her though I know she lies,
That she might think me some untutor'd youth,
Unlearned in the world's false subtleties.
Thus vainly thinking that she thinks me young,
Although she knows my days are past the best,
Simply I credit her false-speaking tongue:
On both sides thus is simple truth suppressed:
Therefore I lie with her, and she with me,
And in our faults by lies we flatter'd be.
But wherefore says she not she is unjust?
And wherefore say not I that I am old?
O! love's best habit is in seeming trust,
And age in love, loves not to have years told:
Therefore I lie &c.
(Instruments and Vocals Performed by: James Holland)
Year composed: 2001
Duration: 02:16:80
Ensemble type: Electronic Instruments and Sound Sources:Live Electronic Sound Sources
Instrumentation:
Instrumentation notes: Lead Vocal,
Three Back-up Vocals (possibly interchanging with lead on each song) (Triangle),
2 Synthesizers,
Electric Guitar/Acoustic Guitar,
Electric Bass,
Drum Set (Bass Drum, High Hat, Snare, Toms [opt.], Crash Cymbal),
General Percussion (African Djembe, Bongos, Tambourine)