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) for 5 and 6 voices. The first 14 madrigals are for 5vv, the last 11 for 6vv. It was said to have been made to honour Queen Elizabeth I. Every madrigal in the collection contains the following couplet at the end: “Then sang the shepherds and nymphs of Diana: long live fair Oriana” (the word "Oriana" often being used to refer to Queen Elizabeth) though some of the composers wrote variants of this refrain.
It is based on Il Trionfo di Dori by Italian composer Angelo Gardano.
Recently, the attribution of "Oriana" to Elizabeth has come into question. Evidence has been presented that "Oriana" actually refers to Anne 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.Jeremy L. Smith, "Music and Late Elizabethan Politics: The Identities of Oriana and Diana." Journal of the American Musicological Society, vol. 58, pp 508-558 (Fall, 2005). In his book 'The English Madrigalists', Edmund Fellowes, the most prolific of madrigal editors of the earlier 20th century, disapproved of the theory.
Contents order composer piece 1 Michael East Hence Stars 2 Daniel Norcombe 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
Choral Songs in Honour of Her Majesty Queen Victoria (1899)
In 1899, at the instigation of Sir Walter Parratt, Master of the Queen's Music, 13 British composers contributed songs to a collection modeled on The Triumphs of Oriana, entitled Choral Songs in Honour of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, published on the occasion of Victoria's 80th birthday.Jeffrey Richards Imperialism and music: Britain, 1876-1953 2001 p359
A Garland for the Queen (1953) A Garland for the Queen, a compilation along similar lines, containing pieces by ten composers, was published to mark the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
Recordings The Triumphs of Oriana: Madrigals Pro Cantione Antiqua, Ian Partridge Archiv I Fagiolini The King's Singers
See also
The Oxford Book of English Madrigals which reproduces several of the pieces from Morley's collection. List of Renaissance composers
References
Sources Books
Journals and articles