William Corkine’s “Come Live With Me and Be My Love”

Throughout September, the Daily Classical Music Post celebrates the music of 15th-, 16th-, and 17th-century England.



https://youtu.be/YSI9nU5occ0



Not a great deal is known about William Corkine (fl. 1610–1617) other than he published a couple of books of ayres for voice, lute, and viol, the first in 1610 and the second in 1612. Jessica Buck says, “In the Renaissance, patronage was essential for the production of literary works as well as art and music. William Corkine dedicated many of his books, and individual compositions, to a number of patrons and patronesses.”


The lyra viol is very interesting. It was primarily an English 17th-century instrument, as was known as the “smallest of the bass viols.” It most often had six strings, although there is evidence of lyra viols with anywhere from four to seven strings. It made an important contribution to self-accompaniment and the development of polyphony throughout the 17th century.


“Come Live With Me and Be My Love,” from Corkine’s Second Book of Ayres. Many of the songs and lessons were (according to the title page) dedicated to the “two truly virtuous and discreet gentlewomen, Miss Ursula Stapleton (1586-1623) and Elizabeth Cope, daughters to the right worthy knights Sir Robert Stapleton and Sir Walter Cope.” “Come Live With Me and Be My Love” was composed to be played on the lyra viol. The words, from Christopher Marlowe’s poem “The Passionate Shepherd to His Love,” were published a few years later, in or around 1619 as a broadside ballad, titled “A most excellent Ditty of the Louers promises to his beloved.” Broadside ballads were printed to be sung to popular tunes, and Corkine’s lyra viol tune was well known by that time; the tune imprint actually said, “To a sweet new tune called, Live with me and be my Love.”


My classical music post for today is William Corkine’s “Come Live With Me and Be My Love.”

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