I’m starting off 2014 with a view to posting regularly to Shakespeare’s Brain–the last few months of 2013 were devoted to work, making work, looking for work, and finally, celebrating the holidays with family. I’m feeling refreshed and ready to embrace the next stage of my work with THE TEMPEST.
There is more music in THE TEMPEST than just about any other Shakespeare play–one wouldn’t call it a ‘musical’, but music (and soundscape) is called for by the author in multiple ways, whether directly inserted in the form of a song, or indicated in the stage directions. Indeed, its function seems to be to connect the sacred (Prospero’s Magic, Ariel’s interactions) and profane (the Servants–Stephano, Trinculo, Caliban) elements in the play.
Caliban’s description of the music that seems to come from The Island itself will be my starting place:
Be not affeard, the Isle is full of noyses,
Sounds, and sweet aires, that give delight and hurt not:
Sometimes a thousand twangling Instruments
Will hum about mine eares; and sometime voices,
That if I then had wak’d after long sleepe,
Will make me sleepe againe, and then in dreaming,
The clouds methought would open, and shew riches
Ready to drop upon me,…. (from First Folio)
My next phase of work will be to explore what types of instruments I can use to evoke these elements, and to write the music that will eventually become part of the production. For now, here is a list of all music/soundscape elements:
ACT I
‘Tempestuous Noise of Thunder and Lightning‘ – the storm created by Prospero and enacted by Ariel, causing the madness which drives the ‘court party’ to jump overboard
‘Enter Ariel, Playing and Singing‘ – initiates two songs that Ariel sings to Ferdinand: ‘Come unto these yellow sands‘, which Ferdinand says both quieted the storm and his ‘passion with its sweet air’; and ‘Full fathom five, thy father lies‘, which remembers King Alonso’s apparent death
Act II
‘Enter Ariel Playing Solemne Musicke‘ (sic) – this has the effect of putting everyone but Sebastian and Antonio to sleep, allowing them to plot the murder of Alonso and Gonzalo; this piece is only heard by the audience
‘Enter Ariel with Musicke and Song‘ – Ariel sings in Gonzalo’s ear a song which warns him of the impending murder and wakes him up just in time: ‘While you here do snoring lie‘…
‘Enter Stephano Singing‘ – Stephano’s drunken song ‘The Master, the Swabber, the Boate-swaine & I…‘ brings the audience immediately into the profane world of the servants, setting up the clown show that follows
‘Caliban Sings Drunkenly‘ – having tasted wine for the first time, Caliban’s true nature emerges: ‘No more dams I’le make for fish‘…
Act III
‘Troule the Catch‘ – the round sung by Stephano and Trinculo (‘Flout ‘em and cout ‘em‘…}, which Ariel then plays on a tabor and pipe, diverting the three clowns from their murderous plot against Propero, and leading them off on a merry chase into the swamp
‘Solemne and Strange Musick‘ – Prospero’s enchantment of Alonso, Sebastian and Antonio begins with this piece, to which ‘several strange shapes‘ bring in the banquet
‘Thunder and Lighting‘ – ushering in Ariel ‘like a Harpy‘
‘Soft Musick‘ – to which the shapes ‘Dance (with Mockes and Mowes) and Carrying Out the Table‘
Act IV
‘[Soft music]‘ – marking the beginning the the pageant which Prospero and Ariel create to mark the betrothal of Ferdinand and Miranda
‘[They Sing]‘ – Juno and Ceres song to bless the marriage: ‘Honor, riches, marriage, blessing‘….
The Dance of the Nimphes and Reapers – noted as a graceful dance which is interrupted by Prospero
‘A Noyse of Hunters Heard‘ – the’ spirits in shapes of dogs and hounds’, set on the three clowns by Prospero and Ariel
ACT V
‘[Solemne musicke]‘ – Prospero calls this ‘A solemne Ayre‘, which ushers in the enchanted threesome of Alonso, Sebastian and Antonio, and begins to ‘cure thy brains‘
‘[Ariel sings, and helps to attire him]‘ – the song Ariel sings to Prospero: ‘Where the bee sucks, there suck I‘, foreshadowing Ariel’s approaching freedom and Prospero’s farewell to his servant
From this point through to the end of the play, music now seems superfluous, as Prospero no longer can use his ‘Art’ to achieve his ends.
