The Triumphs of Oriana is a book of English madrigals, compiled and published in 1601 by Thomas Morley, which first edition has 25 pieces by 23 composers (Thomas Morley and Ellis Gibbons have two madrigals). It was said to have been made in the honour of Queen Elizabeth I. Every madrigal in the collection contains the following couplet at the end: “Thus sang the shepherds and nymphs of Diana: long live fair Oriana” (the word "Oriana" often being used to refer to Queen Elizabeth).
Recently, the attribution of "Oriana" to Elizabeth has come into question. Evidence has been presented that "Oriana" actually refers to Anna of Denmark, who would become Queen of England alongside James VI of Scotland (later James I of England) in an apparently failed early attempt to remove Elizabeth in order to restore England to Catholicism. In his book 'The English Madrigalists', Edmund Fellowes, one of the leading madrigal scholars declares this theory to be false.
Contents
| order | composer | piece |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael East | Hence Stars |
| 2 | Daniel Norcome | With Angel's Face |
| 3 | John Mundy | Lightly she whipped o'er the dales |
| 4 | Ellis Gibbons | Long live fair Oriana |
| 5 | John Bennet | All Creatures now are Merry‐minded |
| 6 | John Hilton | Fair Oriana, beauty's Queen |
| 7 | George Marson | The Nymphs and Shepherds danced |
| 8 | Richard Carlton | Calm was the Air |
| 9 | John Holmes | Thus Bonnyboots |
| 10 | Richard Nicholson | Sing shepherds all |
| 11 | Thomas Tomkins | The Fauns and Satyrs |
| 12 | Michael Cavendish | Come gentle Swains |
| 13 | William Cobbold | With Wreaths of Rose and Laurel |
| 14 | Thomas Morley | Arise, awake |
| 15 | John Farmer | Fair Nymphs |
| 16 | John Wilbye | The Lady Oriana |
| 17 | Thomas Hunt | Hark, did ye ever Hear so Sweet a Singing? |
| 18 | Thomas Weelkes | As Vesta was from Latmos Hill descending |
| 19 | John Milton | Fair Orian |
| 20 | Ellis Gibbons | Round about her Chariot |
| 21 | George Kirbye | With Angel's Face |
| 22 | Robert Jones | Fair Oriana |
| 23 | John Lisley | Fair Cytherea |
| 24 | Thomas Morley | Hard by a Crystal Fountain |
| 25 | Edward Johnson | Come blessed Bird |
Read more about The Triumphs Of Oriana: Choral Songs in Honour of Her Majesty Queen Victoria (1899)
Famous quotes containing the word triumphs:
“Physical nature lies at our feet shackled with a hundred chains. What of the control of human nature? Do not point to the triumphs of psychiatry, social services or the war against crime. Domination of human nature can only mean the domination of every man by himself.”
—Johan Huizinga (1872–1945)