Challenge Songs of the English Restoration Theater (1660–1715): A No-Deadline Fanfic Challenge!

So, *cracks knuckles* seeing this thread upped again finally gave me the kick in the muse I needed to finish my own response for the challenge - it'd been mostly done in my WIP folder for almost a year now, which is just shameful.

But, um, I don't know how obviously a song from the English Restoration theater would make me want to write a story for a fandom as far across the pond as Avatar: The Last Airbender, but, well, it did. Inspiration is quite a funny thing, isn't it? But, a story written is a story written! "Of Air, Of Flame" is up on the NSW side of things. Finally.


(And, um, in the interest of not tempting fate too much again, what are the odds I can maybe claim a second number - say, #18, perhaps? I promise I won't take a year to write an answer this time . . . hopefully. )​

 

Ohmigosh, I’m sorry I didn’t catch your request for a new number sooner, @Mira_Jade! Yep, #18 is still here, and what a doozy it is—you have received Henry Purcell’s “Ye twice ten hundred deities,” which is chock full of really cool ritual/magic/dreamworld potential:

Spoiler: Lyrics

Ye twice ten hundred deities
To whom we daily sacrifice,
Ye pow'rs that dwell with fates below
And see what men are doom'd to do,
Where elements in discord dwell:
Thou god of sleep arise and tell
Great Zempoalla what strange fate
Must on her dismal vision wait.

By the croaking of the toad
In their caves that make abode,
Earthy dun that pants for breath
With her swell'd sides full of death,
By the crested adders' pride
That along the cliffs do glide,
By thy visage fierce and black,
By the death's head on thy back,
By the twisted serpents plac'd
For a girdle round thy waist,
By the hearts of gold that deck
Thy breast, thy shoulders and thy neck,
From thy sleeping mansion rise
And open thy unwilling eyes,
While bubbling springs their music keep,
That used to lull thee in thy sleep.

Here’s a recording, with baritone Stephen Varcoe (yes, this is one of the few male-voice pieces from this list!). He is performing with the English Baroque Soloists, conducted by Sir John Eliot Gardiner:

Spoiler: Recording

 

Glad to have you on board! You've received Henry Purcell's "O solitude," one of his lesser-known songs but still gorgeous:

Spoiler: Lyrics

O solitude, my sweetest choice!
Places devoted to the night,
Remote from tumult and from noise,
How ye my restless thoughts delight!
O solitude, my sweetest choice!

O heav’ns! what content is mine
To see these trees, which have appear’d
From the nativity of time,
And which all ages have rever’d,
To look today as fresh and green
As when their beauties first were seen.
O, how agreeable a sight
These hanging mountains do appear,
Which th’ unhappy would invite
To finish all their sorrows here,
When their hard fate makes them endure
Such woes as only death can cure.

O, how I solitude adore!
That element of noblest wit,
Where I have learnt Apollo’s lore,
Without the pains to study it.
For thy sake I in love am grown
With what thy fancy does pursue;
But when I think upon my own,
I hate it for that reason too,
Because it needs must hinder me
From seeing and from serving thee.

O solitude, O how I solitude adore!

Here's a recording, featuring mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter, with Jakob Lindberg on theorbo:

Spoiler: Recording

 

Petfect! Thank you so much, @Findswoman, and don't you worry! I kinda sneaked the request in at the end of a slew of words.

And then: wow! That is quite the song to work with, and my imagination is already whirling. I really appreciate the unique source material you found to share with us. These lyrics can be taken so many different ways.

 

This challenge tickles the fancy of my inner history buff.

May I request lucky number four please?

 

@SiouxFan, that's excellent, thanks so much! You are very welcome; I've got your chapter in the index now, and I'm so glad the song was able to be of inspiration to you! Unfortunately we regular users are still not able to change thread titles, but the mods are willing to do it if needed (within reason, of course); see details in the thread here.

@devilinthedetails, great to have you in the challenge! You have received "I burn, I burn," composed by John Eccles—a quintessentially over-the-tope Restoration-era mad song/unrequited love song:

Spoiler: Lyrics

I burn, I burn, my brain consumes to ashes,
Each eyeball too, like lightning flashes.
Within my breast, there glows a solid fire,
Which in a thousand ages can’t expire.
Blow, blow, the wind’s great ruler, blow,
Bring the Po and the Ganges hither,
’Tis sultry, sultry weather,
Pour ’em all on my soul,
It will hiss like a coal,
But never be the cooler.

’Twas pride hot as hell
That first made me rebel,
From love’s awful throne, a cursed angel I fell.
And mourn now the fate,
Which myself did create;
Fool, fool that considered not when I was well.

Adieu, adieu, transporting joys,
Off, off, ye vain fantastic toys,
That dressed this face and body to allure;
Bring me daggers, poison, fire,
For scorn is turned into desire.
All hell feels not the rage which I, poor wretch, endure.

Here's a recording, featuring soprano Carolyn Sinclair:

Spoiler: recording

 

@Findswoman Thank you! That promises to provide excellent inspiration

 

My response entitled Consumed by Ashes featuring Anakin/Padme and Obi-Wan.

Apologies for the double post.

 

Since this challenge was great inspiration for me last time, can I give lucky number twelve a try? Thanks.

 

@Oddly_Salacious, thank you! I appreciate that very much and am glad you're enjoying this. There are three numbers left, and you're more than welcome to choose one if you'd like; I bet you'd do a great job with one of these songs as a prompt!

Certainly, devilinthedetails! #12 is Henry Purcell's "The Fatal Hour Comes On Apace"—a song full of fateful foreboding over an impending ominous destiny, as we can tell even from the very first line:

Spoiler: Lyrics

The fatal hour comes on apace,
Which I had rather die than see,
For when fate calls you from this place,
You go to certain misery.
The thought does stab me to the heart,
And gives me pangs no word can speak,
It wracks me in each vital part,
Sure when you go, my heart will break.
Since I for you so much endure,
May I not hope you will believe,
'Tis you alone these wounds can cure,
Which are the fountains of my grief.

And here's a recording, featuring Nancy Argenta, soprano :

Spoiler: Recording

 

Beautiful choice, Odd! #3 is Purcell's poignant "See the forsaken fair, with streaming eyes," which runs the emotional gamut from tragic separation to sweet reunion:

Spoiler: Lyrics

See the forsaken fair, with streaming eyes,
Her parting lover mourn;
She weeps, she sighs, despairs, and dies,
And watchful, wastes the lonely livelong nights,
Bewailing past delights
That may no more, no, never more return.
O soothe her cares
With softest sweetest airs,
Till victory and peace restore
Her faithful lover to her tender breast,
Within her folding arms to rest,
Thence never to be parted more,
No, never to be parted more.

And a recording, again with Purcell maven Nancy Argenta:

Spoiler: Recording

And now there are exactly two left (nos. 6 and 14)! Any takers?

 

All righty! #6 is an interesting one that I think can be taken in various directions: Purcell's "I looked and saw within the book of fate." This one has a hint of prophecy, and a hint of good things to come, but also a hint of urgency, of the need to take an opportunity before it disappears:

Spoiler: Lyrics

I looked and saw within the book of fate,
Where many days did lower,
When lo! One happy hour
Leapt up and smiled to save thy sinking state.

A day shall come, when in thy power
Thy cruel foes shall be;
Then shall the land be free
And thou in peace shalt reign,
But take, oh take that opportunity,
Which once refused will never come again.

And a recording, featuring Katherine Watson and Les Ambassadeurs. Note that there are actually three pieces in this recording; yours begins at about 2:20 and goes through about 4:15.

Spoiler: Recording

All right, one left... who wants no. 14?

 

Absolutely! This one's a Purcell classic about the power of music to beguile one's cares away and even exert a benign influence on demonic powers: "Music for a while."

Spoiler: Lyrics

Music for a while
Shall all your cares beguile:
Wond'ring how your pains were eas'd
And disdaining to be pleas'd,
Till Alecto free the dead
From their eternal bands,
Till the snakes drop from her head,
And the whip from out her hands.
Music for a while
Shall all your cares beguile.

And a recording with countertenor (male alto) Philippe Jaroussky and harpsichordist Yoko Namura. (Sopranos are great, but it's nice to mix it up now and then—and this one really was written for an alto voice.)

Spoiler: Recording

And now the list is full! I'd love to know how those who haven't posted stories yet are getting on—if I can be of help in any way, just let me know.

 

Excellent! Thank you so much, @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha—got it in the index now! And thanks for participating so enthusiastically in this challenge; always great to have you on board.