Henry Purcell(1956-1695) was an English composer.

Although incorporating Italian and

French stylistic elements into his compositions, Purcell’s legacy was a uniquely English form of
Baroque music. Purcell worked in the English court as well as the public arena (especially in the
theatre). Many of Purcell’s most famous songs appear in his five operas. His writing style is
considered natural and very well suited to the voice. He is also known as one of the great masters
of setting the English language in song. Purcell’s songs live on as the cornerstone of British
vocal music.

General The ‘dog-star’ to which Thomas D’Urfey refers in his text is Sirius,
the brightest star in the night sky. This brief song is an extract from
the play A fool’s preferment, to which Purcell set music.
With this song, Purcell created one of the outstanding examples of
English baroque song.
It dates from the time he began to compose his operas; his theatrical
treatment of this text is undeniable and marks his movement toward
an ever-increasing Italian treatment of vocal phrases.

Melody
Melody line The melody has a lots of runs, have some wide intervals

Phrase shape It have long and short phrases, there are some repetition of phrases
and developing manipulation of phrases length.

Tessitura The tessitura is not high but it have a wide range.

Vocal articulation Variety of style articulation, dynamics and runs to bring the effect of
the song
Text painting Purcell’s pictorial treatment of the word “pursue” is evident (its
repeated three time with different pitch) .
Harmony
Harmony texture It have a light texture not rich.

Key scheme/
modulation The key did not change thou there was some accidental in the song.
Rhythm

Rhythmic pattern There was a variety of rhythm pattern. Extremely flexible.

Tempo Mainly the Tempo was constant throughout the song, but there are
some rit , rall in between the song and add lib at the end.
Accompaniment
General The accompaniment started by giving the character of the song, and
the left hand of the accompaniment act as basso continue, in one
portion right hand share the same melody with the voice

Accompaniments used accidental to color text.

Piano set the scene, comments on action, anticipation.
Tone painting: movement of the fish wing and jumping of the fish
and the struggling fish was felt.

Texture Free canonic treatment is found throughout the song. Purcell assigns
the word “chase” a sixteenth-note motive which is freely imitated in
the bass line; the same mirrored treatment occurs with the word
“tear,” which begins in the vocal line and races downward through the
accompaniment.

Poets/texts The test was written Thomas D’Urfey, to which Henry Purcell set the
music.

Form Through composed

Ralph Vaughan Williams 12 October 1872 – 26 August 1958) was an English composer. His
works include operas, ballets, chamber music, secular and religious vocal pieces and orchestral
compositions including nine symphonies, written over sixty years. Strongly influenced by Tudor
music and English folk-song, his output marked a decisive break in British music from its
German-dominated style of the 19th century.
Vaughan Williams is among the best-known British symphonists, noted for his very wide range
of moods, from stormy and impassioned to tranquil, from mysterious to exuberant. Among the
most familiar of his other concert works are Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis (1910)
and The Lark Ascending (1914). His vocal works include hymns, folk-song arrangements and
large-scale choral pieces. He wrote eight works for stage performance between 1919 and 1951.
Although none of his operas became popular repertoire pieces, his ballet Job: A Masque for
Dancing (1930) was successful and has been frequently staged.

General "Whither Must I Wander" is a song composed by Ralph Vaughan

Williams whose lyrics consist of a poem by Robert Louis Stevenson. The
Stevenson poem, entitled Home no more home to me, whither must I
wander?,[ forms part of the collection of poems and songs called Songs of
Travel and Other Verses published in 1895, and is originally intended to be
sung to the tune of Wandering Willie by Robert Burns
Melody
Melody line The melody has a nice smooth line. The melody is build mainly by
using steps, it does not have an awkward leap thou the range is wide.
Phrase shape The phrasing in the piece is regular and it’s not a long phrasing.

Tessitura The tessitura is not high but the range is rather wide.

Vocal articulation As a romantic era song, it have lots of expression, dynamic and
articulation, there is much use of rubato.

Harmony
Harmony texture The harmony texture is not rich.
A lot of parallel thirds are seen in the accompaniment

Key scheme/ The key does not change.

modulation

Rhythm

Rhythmic pattern Repeated Rhythm patterns used. Most of the time the voice and the
accompaniment part have the same rhythm.

Tempo It does not have a strict tempo,

Accompaniment
General The piano started by giving the character of the melody.
Most of the time the accompaniment shares the same melody with
the voice.
The accompaniments intensified before the climax of the voice.
The accompaniment plays a crucial role in setting the mode of the
song.

Texture It’s Homophonic in texture.

Poets/texts In 1901 and 1904 Vaughan Williams set nine of Stevenson's poems to
music in his song cycle Songs of Travel in which Whither Must I
Wander, arranged in 1902, constitutes song no. 7
Form Modified Strophic form