The Silver Swan - Orlando Gibbons

So it seems yesterday's choice of Thomas Weelkes' setting of "Hosanna to the Son of David" was significantly downvoted in favour of that by Orlando Gibbons'! Thing is... I had already planned to write about Gibbons today, so Weelkes was the natural choice for Palm Sunday!

Orlando Gibbons was appointed a gentleman of the Chapel Royal by King James I around May of 1603 and a senior organist by 1605. By 1606 he had graduated from King's College, Cambridge with a Bachelor of Music and received an honorary Doctor of Music from Oxford in May of 1622. In 1623  he was appointed organist at Westminster Abbey, a position which he held for 2 years until his death on the June 5th, 1625.

Due to his untimely death Gibbons was not such a prolific composer as his (older) contemporary William Byrd, but he still managed to produce many secular and sacred polyphonic vocal works, including consort songs, services, motets, more than 40 full anthems and verse anthems, a set of 20 madrigals as well as at least 20 keyboard works and various instrumental ensemble pieces including nearly 30 fantasies for viols. his most famous works are "This is the Record of John", "O Clap your Hands Together" and "The Silver Swan".

Gibbons was a key transitional figure in the early seventeenth century, bridging the later Renaissance to early Baroque eras. Dubbed by the composer Frederick Ouseley as "the English Palestrina" and many believed he paved the way to the new era of music.

Music
The Silver Swan is a famous and much loved madrigal which presents the legend that swans sing only just before their deaths. The words might be Gibbons creation or more likely, that of his sponsor Sir Christopher Hatton . Whilst not "sacred", it is a hauntingly beautiful piece deserving of inclusion here!

It's a beautiful piece, and there are many recordings online. My favourite is the one below by The Gesualdo Six.  (We tried to record our own at home but are missing a reliable bass part!!) 

The score can be downloaded from Choral Wiki here.

The Silver Swan who, living, had no note, 

When death approach'd, unlock'd her silent throat. 

Leaning her breast against the reedy shore, 

Thus sung her first and last, And sung no more: 

"Farewell all joys, O death come close mine eyes. 

More geese than swans now live, more fools than wise."