For those unaware, Shakespeare’s illustrious prose is inextricably linked with the music that was performed in his plays. The Bard frequently directed his characters to burst into song, cannily catering to the vast audiences who flocked to the Globe Theatre, expecting to enjoy the popular melodies of the day that were interwoven throughout the narrative.

English novelist and biographer Peter Ackroyd remarked, “It can be argued that Shakespeare was the first dramatist to make song an integral part of the drama and can thus be seen as the begetter of the musical theatre.”

Play, Music! features music from such memorable plays as All’s Well that Ends Well, As You Like It, Hamlet, Midsummer Night’s Dream, Taming of the Shrew, Twelfth Night and more, penned by prominent 16th-century tunesmiths including John Dowland, King Henry VIII, Richard Tarleton and Shakespeare himself.

International ensemble THEATRO, founded and directed by GRAMMY® Award-winning multi-instrumentalist Brian Kay, creates memorable theatrical experiences that transport modern audiences to bygone eras and places, illuminating the stories of the past with immersive and authentic ambience.

1. For I the ballad (All’s Well That Ends Well) [0.21]
Music: Anon | Text: William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
arr. for tenor solo by Ross W. Duffin
Performed by: Brian Kay, tenor

2. Ah Robin (Twelfth Night) [3.48]
Music: attrib. King Henry VIII (1491–1547) | Text: William Shakespeare
arr. for ensemble tenors and bass by Brian Kay
Performed by: Damian Wilson and Brian Kay, tenors | Peter Walker, bass

3. Woodycock [1.58]
Music: Anon
arr. for viola da gamba and ensemble by Robert Eisenstein and Brian Kay
Performed by: Theatro | Brian Kay, director | Robert Eisenstein, viola da gamba

4. My lord chamberlain, his galliard [0.44]
Music: John Dowland (c. 1563–1626)
Performed by: Brian Kay, lutes

5. Please one and please all / Tarleton’s Jig (Twelfth Night) [4.35]
Music: Richard Tarleton (d. 1588) and John Dowland | Text: William Shakespeare
arr. for tenor, soprano and ensemble by Brian Kay
Performed by: Theatro | Brian Kay, director, tenor | Ashlee Foreman, soprano

6. Pastime with good company (Henry VIII) [2.59]
Music: attr. Henry VIII | Text: William Shakespeare
arr. for soprano and tenor and ensemble by Brian Kay
Performed by: Theatro | Brian Kay, director, tenor | Ashlee Foreman, soprano

7. Green grow’th the holly (Henry VIII) [2.34]
Music: attr. Henry VIII | Text: William Shakespeare
arr. for soprano and ensemble by Brian Kay
Performed by: Theatro | Brian Kay, director | Ashlee Foreman, soprano

8. Lady Carey’s dance [3.55]
Music: Anon
arr. for hammered dulcimer and therbo by Tina Bergmann
Performed by: Tina Bergmann, hammered dulcimer | Brain Kay, theorbo

9. I cannot come ev’ry day to woo (Taming of the Shrew) [3.14]
Music: Anon | Text: William Shakespeare
arr. for ensemble, tenor and soprano by R.W. Duffin, Joseph Trapanese, Brian Kay
Performed by: Theatro | Brian Kay, director | Damian Wilson, tenor | Ashlee Foreman, soprano

10. The King of Denmark’s galliard (Hamlet) [2.57]
Music: John Dowland
Performed by: Brian Kay, lute

11. Bonny sweet Robin (Hamlet) [2.32]
Music: Anon | Text: William Shakespeare
arr. for soprano and harp by Anna O’Connell
Performed by: Anna O’Connell, soprano, harp

12. Why let the strucken deer go weep (Hamlet) [1.19]
Music: Anon | Text: William Shakespeare
arr. for tenor solo by R.W. Duffin, Brian Kay
Performed by Damian Wilson, tenor

13. And will he not come again / Go from my window (Hamlet) [0.50]
Music: Anon | Text: William Shakespeare
arr. for soprano solo by R.W. Duffin, Brian Kay
Performed by: Anna O’Connell, soprano

14. Tarleton’s riserrectione (Hamlet) [1.09]
Music: John Dowland
Performed by: Brian Kay, lute

15. Lighte of love (Two Gentlemen of Verona) [0.31]
Music: Anon
Performed by: Brian Kay, lute

16. Sigh no more ladies / Lilliburleo (Much Ado About Nothing) [1.44]
Music: Anon | Text: William Shakespeare
arr. for ensemble and bass by Brian Kay
Performed by: Theatro | Brian Kay, director | Peter Walker, bass

17. Jig divided twelve ways [2.27]
John Playford (1623–c.1687) | arr. for solo violin by Tina Chancey
Performed by: Tina Chancey, Renaissance violin

18. Blow, blow thou winter wind / Goddesses (As You Like It) [2.27]
Music: Anon | Text: William Shakespeare
arr. for tenor, renaissance violin and ensemble by R.W. Duffin and Brian Kay
Performed by: Theatro | Brian Kay, director, tenor | Tina Chancey, Renaissance violin

19. Chi passa (Two Noble Kinsmen) [1.37]
Music: Anon
arr. for colascione and ensemble by Ryan Tyndall and Brian Kay
Performed by: Theatro | Brian Kay, director | Ryan Tyndall, colascione

20. Orsino’s request (Twelfth Night) [0.39]
Music: Anon | Text: William Shakespeare
Performed by: Brian Kay, reading and lute

21. Come away, death (Twelfth Night) [3.46]
Music: Anon | Text: William Shakespeare
arr. for tenor and lute by R.W. Duffin and Brian Kay
Performed by: Brian Kay, tenor and lute

22. O mistress mine (Twelfth Night) [1.27]
Music: Anon
arr. for ensemble, cittern, lute and treble viol by Mark Cudek, Ronn McFarlane, and Brian Kay
Performed by: Theatro | Brian Kay, director | Mark Cudek, cittern | Ronn McFarlane, lute | Jeffrey Grabelle, treble viol

23. If music be the food of love (Twelfth Night) [0.39]
Music: Anon | Text: William Shakespeare
Performed by: Brian Kay, reading, and lute

24. Fortune, my foe (Merry Wives of Windsor) [3.23]
Music: John Dowland | Text: William Shakespeare
arr. for bass and lute by Brian Kay
Performed by: Peter Walker, bass | Brian Kay, lute

25. Where should this music be? / La rossignol (The Tempest) [1.07]
Music: Anon | Text: William Shakespeare
arr. for voice and lutes by Brian Kay
Performed by: Damian Wilson, reading | Brandon Acker, lute | Brian Kay, lute

26. O death, rock me asleep (Henry IV) [3.43]
Music: Attr. Anne Boleyn (c. 1501–1536) | Text: William Shakespeare
arr. for tenor and lute by Brian Kay
Performed by: Brian Kay, tenor, lute

27. My lord Willoughby’s welcome home (As You Like It) [1.39]
Music: John Dowland
Performed by: Brandon Acker and Brian Kay, lutes

28. Walsingham (Hamlet) [1.20]
Music: Anon | Text: William Shakespeare
arr. for soprano and harp by Anna O’Connell
Performed by: Anna O’Connell, soprano and harp

29. Pardon goddess of the night / Rest awhile, you cruel cares (Much Ado About Nothing) [1.59]
Music: John Dowland | Text: William Shakespeare
arr. for soprano and viol consort by Brian Kay
Performed by: Ashlee Foreman, soprano | Tina Chancey, viol consort

30. Mrs. White’s nothing [0.47]
Music: John Dowland
Performed by: Brian Kay, lute

31. Willow song (Othello) [2.58]
Music: Anon | text: William Shakespeare
arr. for tenor and lute by Brian Kay
Performed by: Damian Wilson, tenor | Brian Kay, lute

32. Wedding is great Juno’s crown / Lord Strang’s march (As You Like It) [2.31]
Music: Anon | Text: William Shakespeare
arr. for ensemble, tenor, lute and percussion by Brian Kay
Performed by: Theatro | Brian Kay, director, tenor, lute and percussion

33. You spotted snakes / Robin Goodfello (Midsummer Night’s Dream) [3.04]
Music: Anon | Text: William Shakespeare
arr. for ensemble, tenor, and voices by R.W. Duffin, Joseph Trapanese, and Brian Kay
Performed by: Theatro | Brian Kay, director, tenor

This delightfully cultivated new set of recordings opens on the softly ornate, short but sweet For I the ballad (All’s Well That Ends Well) and the quietly harmonious Ah Robin (Twelfth Night) and then we get the playful Woodycock, the sparkling, albeit shirt My Lord Chamberlaine, His Galliard, the cultured Please One and Please All / Tarleton’s Jig (Twelfth Night), the sprightly Pastime with Good Company (Henry VIII) and both the hauntingly ethereal Green Grow’th the Holly (Henry VIII) and the stoic Lady Carey’s Dance.

Along next is the beautifully structured I Cannot Come Ev’ry Day to Woo (Taming of the Shrew), the graceful dancefloor swirl and twirl of The King of Denmark’s Galliard (Hamlet) and the ornate Bonny Sweet Robin (Hamlet), and they are in turn backed seamlessly by the powerfully noted Why Let The Strucken Deer Go Weep (Hamlet), the short, effervescent And Will He Not Come Again / Go From My Window (Hamlet), and both the languishing Tarleton’s Riserrectione (Hamlet) and the short, yet playful Lighte of Love (Two Gentlemen of Verona).

Next comes the forceful Sigh No More Ladies / Lilliburleo (Much Ado About Nothing), the cultured Jig Divided Twelve Ways and the emotive Blow, Blow Thou Winter Wind / Goddesses (As You Like It), and then we get brought forth the delicate fare of Chi Passa (Two Noble Kinsmen), the short, softly spoken words within Orsino’s Request (Twelfth Night), the melodic Come Away, Death (Twelfth Night), the set rounding out on the dancefloor swirl of O Mistress Mine (Twelfth Night), the short spoken word masterpiece If Music be the Food of Love (Twelfth Night), and the strength of Fortune, My Foe (Merry Wives of Windsor).

The final quarter of the recording next brings us the agility of Where Should This Music Be? / La Rossignol (The Tempest), the all-encompassing beauty of O Death, Rock Me Asleep (Henry IV), the sprightly My Lord Willoughby’s Welcome Home (As You Like It), the emboldened Walsingham (Hamlet), the gently sterner fare of Pardon Goddess of the Night / Rest Awhile, You Cruel Cares (Much Ado About Nothing), and the lightness of Mrs. White’s Nothing, the music closing on the engaging Willow Song (Othello), the buoyant Wedding is Great Juno’s Crown / Lord Strang’s March (As You Like It) and the beautifully harmonious You Spotted Snakes / Robin Goodfellow (Midsummer Night’s Dream).

Brian Kay - Play, Music!: Music & songs from the plays of Shakespeare [Official Video]

Official Purchase Link