Holborne: Ploravit Pavan (Pauana Plorauit)

Another delving into the Holborne archives. A transcription and arrangement from the digital facsimile of Matthew Holmes' Lute Book Dd.2.11 f. 10/1 at Cambridge University Library. The MS was completed about 1600.

"Ploravit" in the Matthew Holmes Lute Book Dd.2.11

Little is known about the composer, but I have found an online account here: http://www.hoasm.org/IVM/Holborne.html

This lachrymose pavane (ploravit means "he has wept") was considered by Diana Poluton to have been written by Holborne as a tribute to the younger John Dowland's "Lachrimae Pavane". You can find my version of "Lachrimae" here. The first few notes did seem to ring a bell, and as you can see from the opening bars of both versions below there is a close similarity. After this, however, Holborne goes off in his own direction. 

The first bars of pieces by Holborne anad Dowland

When transcribed for ukulele, Pluravit is in the unusual key (for the instrument) of B minor, which is a good way of getting into a new key, and in some places unexpected fingerings. Also, I have transposed it into the more usual key of C minor, which allowed me to fit in the roots of the tonic chord (Cm) and the fifth (G) on the open lower strings. You can access both pieces in the links below and see which you prefer.

Holborne also published a consort version of the pavane, in 1599, but whether it or the lute MS version came first I do not know. In the first two sections the upper voices of both versions are very close, but part of the way through the third sections they diverge.

It is quite unlike "Lachrimae" and doesn't really have a catchy tune. The harmonies are engrossing and, to me, unexpected, but rather than being a lament it seems more suitable for a funeral procession. There are some consort performances online, and they certainly emphasise this impression. I have made MIDI versions so that you can hear the piece in simulations for ukulele and recorder consort.

I have worked out the approximate harmonies in terms of modern chord symbols, and there is no discernible pattern, but for the record here they are given below. It's all a bit rough and ready, and with loads of passing tones and suspensions that I haven't attempted to indicate. (/ = 1 beat of the previous chord.)

A reminder: Bm is the tonic (I), F# the dominant (V), Em the sub-dominant (IV) and A the flattened 7th. In lines 3 and 6 the harmonic centre seems to move from Bm to A. Section 2 ends in F#, but then section 3 begins with F#m. As was traditional, each section ends with a major cadence.

Bm  / / A    | D / G / D    | F# Bm / C#  | F#  ?  Em  D |
F# A F# /    | Bm / / A, Bm | E Bm F# /   | Bmaj / / /   ||

A / / /      | D / / /      | E D A E D A | D Bm A E A   |
D E F# A     | Bm / / F#    | Bm F# Bm /  | F# / / /     ||

F#m / D A    | Bm / / /     | Bm Em Bmaj  | E D A /      |
E / / /      | A / / /      | E / / /     | A / / /      |
Em Bm F#m Em | F#m D / Bmaj | F# / Bmaj   | Bmaj / / /   || 

The arrangements are available to download freely in the following formats:

• pdf (Bm)
• pdf (Cm)
• TablEdit (Bm)
• TablEdit (Cm)
• MIDI (Bm, "ukulele")
• MIDI (Bm, "recorders")