One of Robinson's "toys", to lighten the mood
Thomas Robinson (c 1560 – c 1610) was a lutenist who published a tutor for lute (The Schoole of Musicke) in 1603. This piece is the ninth of his works that I have transcribed for low-G ukulele, and will be posting over the next few weeks.
"Toys", or "toyes" were, in Robinson's time, relatively short and lighthearted compositions, often based on a dance form. I will be posting four of them over the coming days. Since Robinson didn't give them specific names, I have to refer to them by page number – or rather (since there seems to be some confusion over pagination) by the printer's marks, identifying the folio for the bookbinder.
Here we have a charming little piece, with syncopation and counterpoint. There are two strains, of 4 and 7(!) bars. I particularly like the harmonic surprise of the II-chord in bar 9.
My original transcription, which preserves the lute fingering as much as possible, is set in the key of E (i.e. D in the lute version), which is not the most accessible on the uke. I have therefore added a version in F, which falls more easily under the fingers.
Because the end of each strain in the original ends on a falling scale, using lower strings not available on the uke, I have had to adjust the first voice in the last few bars.
You can view and download it for free here.
Happy plonking!
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SOURCE: Thomas Robinson, 1603, The Schoole of Musicke (f. 36/2? or I2v/2).
Facsimile at: https://ks4.imslp.net/files/imglnks/usimg/9/9a/IMSLP247275-PMLP401021-Thomas_Robinson_School.pdf
