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• Morley, Thomas: Philis, I fain would die now

Morley, Thomas: Philis, I fain would die now

for 7 voices or instruments in 2 choirs.

This very Italianate dialogue by Morley was included at the end of his famous Balletts to Five Voyces of 1595; it appears to be based loosely on a dialogo Filli morir vorei by Giovanni Croce, first published in 1592. Morley was skilled at adapting Italian music to English: his popular balletts (printed in LPM TM63 and 68) are closely based on the balletti of Giovanni Ciacorno Gastoldi (TM37 and 45).
The original note values have been retained in this edition; the time-signature at bar 110 is a simple 3.
Performers should not forget that Morley was imitating an Italian form: the intensity of Italian mannerist music is precisely what the composer was introducing to England. Often the rhythms of the text are similar to those of Italian madrigals, and require a similar expressive weight on the important syllables, such as “lan” of “languish”.
In scoring the piece account should be taken of the fact that the altus, the lowest part in choir I, does not actually provide a bass to its own choir.