Songs and Dance Music
This page lists various songs and dances that are common within the SCA. Below are the seven most common songs and dances within Southron Gaard.
Southron Gaard Seven
The following dances are suggested as being both easy and worthwhile for every dancer to try and learn – they travel well, represent an enjoyable range of dance styles, and you’re likely to encounter at least a couple of them at any Ball, demo or casual dance. This list was last updated 29 March 2021:
- Mimed Bransles
- Anello
- Hearts Ease
- Earl of Essex Measure
- Queens Alman
- Jenny Plucks Pears
- Prenes en Gre
Some previous dances on the Southron Gaard Seven list included:
- Simple Bransles
- New Bo Peep
- Old Alman
- Dargason
- Petit Vriens
Here are the Southron Gaard 7 Songs, recommended as easy and worthwhile to learn for general roustabout use at feasts and other gatherings:
- A Catch on the Midnight Cats (1+ parts, desirably 3)
- Agincourt Carol (Deo Gracias Anglia) (2.5 parts)
- Come Again (4 parts)
- Coventry Carol (4 parts)
- Miri it is (1 or 2 parts)
- My Love Hath Vowed (2 parts)
- The Owl (3 parts)
…and… - Southron Gaard (Long May She Stand) (1.5 parts)
These are marked in the list below with SG7.
MP3 Files
If you prefer to listen to MP3s of the songs (e.g. while exercising), you will find MP3s of many of the songs below in this folder
The links are to small Noteworthy files which may be used to view, listen to and practise each of the songs. A free Noteworthy player can be found here — use it to listen to the whole song, or to individual parts where these have been separated out for you in the file listings.
Dance & Instrumental Music List
| Song | Description |
|---|---|
| And is it Night? Soprano Alto Tenor Bass | Suggestive, melodramatic four-parter, Robert Jones, 1609. |
| A Round of Three Country Dances in One | Very pleasing four-part round, Ravenscroft. |
| Adieu M’Amour Soprano Tenor Bass | A pensive three part plaint by Alexandri Agricola, in oldish French. |
| Ah Robin | A part-song comparing two loves, by William Cornysh, from the 1550s. NB a “leman” is not a fruit, but one’s lover/mistress! |
| Alle Psallite | A part-song from 1200s; in Latin; easy bass part; two other parts are the same with phrases sung at different times |
| April is in my Mistress’ Face Soprano Alto Tenor Bass | A stirring four-part madrigal by Thomas Morley, 1594-1600, from ‘Thomas Morley’s Madrigals for Four Voices’ No 1, with an excellent second verse added by a SCAdian. |
| Arise My Dear Top Middle Bottom | Another wee gem by Thomas Morley, in three parts, intended to steady the nerves of Daphne on her wedding day. |
| Boar’s Head Carol | 1521; in modern English with a Latin chorus |
| Browning, Madame | A lovely, simple round. Ravenscroft (‘Deuteromalia’ 1609) |
| Canon in the 5th and 9th Soprano Alto Tenor | A simple three-parter with pleasing harmonies, Jim Ives “Catches and Canons book”. |
| A Catch on the Midnight Cats | A three-part round written by Michael Wise (c. 1648-87); in modern English (SG7) |
| Cease Mine Eyes Top Middle Bottom | Thomas Morley again, bewailing in three part harmony the delight his lady takes in rebuffing him. |
| Come Again Soprano Alto Tenor Bass | Four parts, John Dowland (1562-1626). A song of deep devotion to a lady, which works best with “maximum ham”. May be impossible to sing the last verse with a straight face (SG7). |
| Coventry Carol | Four parts; said to be 15th century, though possibly older; in modern English (SG7). |
| CuCu Soprano Alto Tenor Bass | Four-part 15th century Spanish song about how not to be cuckolded |
| Deo Gracias, Anglia Soprano Alto Tenor | Three parts, from a Medieval music collection, “Musica Britannica IV, 1952” (SG7). |
| Depart, Depart Soprano Alto Tenor Bass PDF score | Four part galliard from the court of Mary Queen of Scots. This version is in reasonably modern English and not 16C Scots. |
| Dindiridin Top Middle Bottom | Three part bouncy nonsense song, from the Montecassino Codex 871 dated to 1459. |
| Edi Be-thu | Easy two-part song in Middle English, ca 1200 |
| Fatal a Parte Soprano Alto Tenor Bass | Four-part 15th century Spanish song about Consequences for an errant wife and her Spanish lover |
| Fire-Fire Soprano Bass | Two-parter by Campion about desire. |
| Florence La Joyose Cite Top Middle Bottom PDF Score | Short three part song to accompany a 15C dance. Contains some very modern sounds. Also known as La Fille Guilliman or La Fia Guiman by some. The part files have a slower tempo for practice. |
| Great Tom is Cast | “Bell” round — an easy three-part round in modern English |
| Gaudete Soprano Alto Baritone Bass PDF score | Four part Latin (mostly) song hailing the Nativity of Christ – although this version shows signs of some slippage in the language over time! |
| Green Grow’th the Holly | Three parts, said to have been written by Henry VIII; in modern English |
| He that will an Alehouse Keep | Thomas Ravenscroft, ‘Melismata’ 1611. Lends itself to extra verses… |
| I Gave Her Cakes | Cheerful melody by Henry Purcell. |
| Il Bianco Dolce Cigno Soprano Alto Tenor Bass | Jacques Arcade (1504?-1568). A beautiful four-part song. |
| In Dulci Jubilo Soprano Alto Tenor Bass PDF score | 14th C carol, in Latin and German. This is a 1601 harmonisation, so it’s approximately in period. For the hard-of-german, here is a score with lyrics in phonetic English. |
| Jack and Jone Soprano Bass | A cheeky cheerful two-parter (or is it more?) from Thomas Campion. |
| Je Nuns Hons Pris | With sarcastic counterpoint. Written by Richard Coeur-de-Lion (1157-1199), while impatiently awaiting his ransom. |
| Martin Said to His Man Soprano Alto Tenor Bass | Thomas Ravenscroft, ‘Deuteromalia’ 1609. Overworn as a one-track but lovely in these four parts. |
| Miri It Is | Dated to 1220; two parts with the harmony being a simple drone; in Middle English (SG7). |
| My Love Hath Vowed | Two part song; in modern English (SG7). |
| Noel Merrily On High | Nice four-part variant on an old favourite; in modern English. The tune is used for the Official Bransle. |
| Oh How Lovely | “Bell” round — an easy three-part round in modern English |
| O My Hart Soprano Alto/Tenor Bass | Short and melancholy piece by Henry VIII. Adaptable to multiple occasions by suitable word changes. |
| Pase el Agoa | (PDF) A very pretty four-part Spanish song from the Cancionero de Palacio, c.1490 |
| Pastime with Good Company Top Bass | Two or three part song by Henry VIII. Only top and bottom parts are here at the moment. |
| Pox on You! Verse 1 Verse 2 Verse 3 | Very earthy three-part round, best sung with phartophone. Henry Purcell, 1578 |
| See Now | A piece composed by Master Crispin Sexi for the reign of King AEdward I and Queen Yolande of Lochac, A.S. 38 |
| Se Jay Parle | A three-part French ditty about what nuns are not getting up to, honest. Also in PDF form. |
| Sellengers Round PDF score | Sung accompaniment for this dance. The score has four parts, but we only sing the top line, with a few low voices doing sackbut noises for the bottom line. |
| Sigh No More, Ladies Soprano Bass | Patrick Doyle, written for the Branagh film verson of “Much Ado about Nothing”. |
| Since First I Saw Your Face Soprano Alto Tenor Bass | Four parts, from Musicke of Sundrie Kindes, 1607 |
| Sing We and Chant it Soprano Alto Mezzo Tenor Bass | Five parts, from The first booke of balletts to five voyces by Thomas Este 1595 |
| So Ben Mi Ch’ha Bon Tempo PDF score | Four accompaniment to a rather challenging but very pretty dance, in common and triple times variously. |
| Southron Gaard (aka Long may She Stand or Rollynge Hylls of Grene) | A marching song commissioned from Master Crispin Sexi by Mistress Roheisa le Sarjent, A.S. 40 (SG7). |
| Spring Catch Top Middle Bottom | A springy three part song about Spring, in oldish English, by Lady Elen Benet. |
| Steadfast | A paen for the reign of King AEdwarde Staedfaste II and Queen Yolande II, by Master Crispin Sexi, A.S. 40 |
| Stella Splendens in Monte Soprano Bass | Complex and interesting two-parter from the Red Book of Monserrat C14th |
| Stephen & Mathilde | A catch composed by Master Crispin Sexi for the reign of King Stephen and Queen Mathilde of Lochac; requires careful attention to timing; in modern English with a Latin ground. |
| Sumer is Icumen | Middle English round, said to be the oldest recorded English secular song; in Middle English |
| Sweete Kate Soprano Alto Tenor Bass | Works well in two reasonably easy parts and/or with four; from Robert Jones A Musicall Dreame or the Fourth Booke of Ayres 1609; witty and evil; in modern English |
| The Bell doth Toll | “Bell” round — an easy three-part round in modern English |
| Tempus adest Floridam | 1582, from Piae Cantiones; in Latin; the tune is better known by its Victorian use as Good King Wenceslas |
| Time Stands Still Soprano Alto Tenor Bass | In four part harmony, John Dowland (1562-1626) explains how gazing at his lady’s face affects him. Emotionally similar to Come Again but less over the top. |
| Triste Espana Soprano Alto Tenor Bass | Four-part 15th century Spanish lament about the loss of a prince. Sad, slow, and beautiful. |
| The King Soprano Alto Tenor Bass Score (PDF) | A song to accompany the parading of the midwinter “King”. |
| The Owle Soprano Tenor Bass | Cheerful and catchy drinking song in three parts, Ravenscoft (Deuteromelia) (SG7). |
| The Sexes | Amusing and melodic 3-part catch on the chief ages of men and women, Purcell. |
| The Silver Swan Soprano Mezzo Alto Tenor Bass | A five-part satire of a dying swan, by Orlando Gibbons 1583-1625. |
| Ut Queant Laxis PDF score | A plain chant hymn in praise of the life of St John the Baptist. Use this file to get the notes but ignore the timing which is far too strict and plodding. Noteworthy can’t do the free timing that is used in plainchant. Take the time from the cantor leading your group. |
| Wassail and Wassail All Over The Town | From Cecil J. Sharp, “One Hundred English Folksongs”, #92 |
| We Be Soldiers Three Soprano Alto Bass | Three part drinking song, Thomas Ravenscroft 1582-1635 |
| Weep O Mine Eyes Soprano Alto Tenor Bass | 1599, John Bennet |
| Wilt Thou Unkind Soprano Alto Tenor Bass | John Dowland (1597) |
| A Yeoman of Kent PDF score | From Thomas Ravenscroft’s “Melismata. Musicall Phansies”. One man’s complaint at the slow progress of love. |