Cries for Voices and Viols
Staff Notation • Secular, Consort songs
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Cries for Voices and Viols by Thomas Weelkes — Lyrics
About Cries for Voices and Viols
Thomas Weelkes’s Cries for Voices and Viols is a delightful English secular consort song for solo soprano. The music vividly conjures the calls of street vendors selling their wares, from fresh oysters and mussels to hot pies and ripe fruits. Weelkes masterfully uses the vocal line to paint a sonic picture of the bustling marketplace, with quick runs and repeated calls mimicking the cries of the sellers. The accompanying viols would likely have provided a rhythmic and harmonic bed, enhancing the lively and colourful atmosphere. This piece offers a charming glimpse into Elizabethan London and the sounds that filled its streets.