Shakespeare, Orpheus with His Lute (a poem, on the healing power of music; from his play Henry VIII)

Recorded in April 2022. From Act III, Scene 1, of Henry VIII.

The tale of Orpheus shows the miraculous power which the ancients imputed to poetry and music. His songs were said to charm all things, from the wild animal to the heartless stone. Shakespeare makes use of this story to emphasize, more particularly, the power of music to relieve anxiety and grief.

Shakespeare makes Orpheus a lute-player; though strictly speaking, he played the lyre, a harp-shaped instrument that belongs to the lute family. The lute was a highly regarded instrument in Shakespeare's day, and there are many references to its power in his works. e. g. :

"... thy tongue
Makes Welsh as sweet as ditties highly penned,
Sung by a fair queen in a summer’s bower,
With ravishing division, to her lute.” -- Henry IV, Part 1, Act 3, Scene 1.

For "as" in line 5, understand "as if." i. e., to paraphrase: "To the music of Orpheus, plants and flowers ever sprung; as if the sun and showers, in whatever place he played, had made an everlasting spring."

Lines 7, 8, and 9, are a reference to the journey of Orpheus with the Argonauts, in which the poet is said to have calmed the seas with his music.

The picture in the thumbnail, and at the end of the video, is "Orpheus Leading Eurydice from the Underworld," by Camille Corot. So moving was Orpheus, we are told, that, when his beloved Eurydice died, the king of the underworld was overwhelmed with his music, and permitted her to return to him.

The music is "Chaconne" by Jan Antonín Losy, a pre-eminent baroque lute-player, played by Michael Podolski.

Transcript:

Orpheus with his lute made trees,
And the mountain tops that freeze,
Bow themselves when he did sing:
To his music plants and flowers
Ever sprung; as sun and showers
There had made a lasting spring.

Every thing that heard him play,
Even the billows of the sea,
Hung their heads, and then lay by.
In sweet music is such art,
Killing care and grief of heart
Fall asleep, or hearing, die.