This page is dedicated to the songs, tunes, and dances of Emma 2. For information on Rachel Portman's soundtrack for the film, see this page. For quotations from the novel involving music and dance, go here.
Emma 2 Non-soundtrack Music Notes
The Dances
The dances during the ball scene include "Auretti's Dutch Skipper," from Rutherford's Compleat Collection of the Most Celebrated Country Dances, 1756, and "Jacob Hall's Jig," from Volume three of The English Dancing Master, 1756.
The last dance at the ball scene is "Mr. Beveridge's Maggot." It's also danced by Darcy and Lizzy at the Netherfield Ball in P&P2. A "maggot" in this context is not a fly larva, but rather a "favorite," meaning that the dance was either composed or favored by a dancing master named Mr. Beveridge. Though probably older, the dance first appeared in the 9th edition of Playford's Dancing Master, a sort of country dance caller's guide, in 1695. You may have noticed that the elements of the dance differed between the two adaptations; for the record, both versions were off, but the P&P2 version was closest. Hugh Stewart recently contacted Amy with information invalidating the version of the dance set down by folk dance historian Cecil Sharpe (which is the first version described on the dance descriptions page):
"Most of the English Country Dances are danced to a pair of phrases of music played AABB - i.e. the first phrase is played twice, and then the second twice. However there is a printed comment in the original instructions for this dance "Note that the first strain is played twice, but the second is played but once": i.e. the tune should be played AAB. However when Cecil Sharp interpreted this dance for modern consumption he decided he could not get all the instructions to fit into that little music so he published a dance to fit AABB and this is what Palmer's Pocket Playford describes."
The accepted AAB alternative is attributed to Pat Shaw. It is the second "Mr. Beveridge" description on the dance descriptions page. Both film versions attempt to recreate the dance using the AAB phrasing, but do so quite differently than Shaw. Here is a MIDI file of the music (this is the Sharpe version). You can get a version of "Mr. Beveridge's Maggot by the Broadside Band on a CD entitled "English Country Dances From Playford's Dancing Master 1651-1703" (purchase from Amazon.com by clicking on the link; the page has audio samples!) released by Saydisc Records.
All dance arrangements in the film were by John Gale.
For an interesting perspective on the dancing in Emmas 2 and 3, visit this section at TheLoiterer.org.
Silent Worship, or "Non lo diro col labbro"
Emma and Frank sing the English adaptation of this aria from G. F. Handel's Tolomeo (Ptolemy) at the Coles' party.
- Librettist - Nicola Francesco Haym, after Carlo Sigismondo Capece, 1711
- Score completed 19 April 1728, first performed April 30, 1728 in London, King's Theatre, Haymarket (7 performances through May 21st)
- A note on availability from Cindy K. - "The song is available on CD on Jane's Hand - The Jane Austen Songbooks by Vox Classics (number VOX 7537). All but one of the songs ("Robin Adair") on the CD were taken from her handwritten songbooks. The CD is for sale through the Victorian Papers catalogue for $11.95 + shipping and handling. Their phone number is 800-800-6647. I purchased my copy at Border's Bookstore for $6.99. I purchased one copy in Ohio and one in Washington, D.C. so it is probably widely available."
"Translation" care of Ked Kobick:
Did you not hear My Lady
Go down the garden singing
Blackbird and thrush were silent
To hear the alleys ringing...Oh saw you not My Lady
Out in the garden there
Shaming the rose and lily
For she is twice as fair.Though I am nothing to her
Though she must rarely look at me
And though I could never woo her
I love her till I die.Surely you heard My Lady
Go down the garden singing
Silencing all the songbirds
And setting the alleys ringing...But surely you see My Lady
Out in the garden there
Rivaling the glittering sunshine
With a glory of golden hair.
Original Lyrics in Italian, with Literal Translation
Non lo diro col labbro
Che tanto ardir non ha;
Forse con le faville
Dell'avide pupille,
Per dir come tutt'ardo,
Lo sguardo parleraI will not say it with my lips
Which have not that courage;
Perhaps the sparks
Of my burning eyes,
Revealing my passion,
My glance will speak.
Other Songs
The piece sung by Jane Fairfax at the Coles' party is a rather tragic one, called Virgins are Like the Fair Flower, from John Gay's The Beggar's Opera, 1728.