Talk:Of all the birds that ever I see (Thomas Ravenscroft)

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This song is classified as STB, but I think that it should be listed as SAB. The second line of the score has a label that says "tenor", but the part has a normal treble clef, and the range is actually appropriate for an alto. --Davino (talk) 20:41, 1 May 2015 (UTC

The original edition, (and your comments reinforce the error,) shews a misunderstanding of the original cleffing and context. This is a glee for three (almost) equal voices and is correctly realized TTB (notwithstanding that the top line is slightly uncomfortable for modern lazy tenors: indeed it is often transposed down a fourth to ameliorate the (hypothesised) pitch-drift over the ages). Treble, Tenor, Bass in the original are statements of comparative pitch of the lines, not prescriptive voicing. (The pitches shewn in this edition are correct, although the clefs chosen are erroneous to the modern mind) The frontispiece to Deuteromelia (on IMSLP Petrucci) will hint at this. So will the presence of the item in the repertoire of all-male glee-clubs throughout the eighteenth century.Cjshawcj (talk) 09:24, 2 May 2015 (UTC)

Interesting. I had never heard of such "glee" clubs. So the category STB is indeed wrong, as was my suggested correction, and looking again at the score I think that "TTB" would indeed be better. You seem to be a veteran here, do you happen to know the editor of this piece? --Davino (talk) 11:52, 2 May 2015 (UTC)

In most glees (three to five parts) the top line(s) may have been taken by male altos, or countertenors, if any were available. Many amateur clubs were stiffened by professionals, often the lay-clerks from the local cathedral. So the current piece could perhaps be authentically performed A.T.B. if A, is male. I don't know the editor of this piece: we are separated by an ocean and a common language.Cjshawcj (talk) 13:38, 2 May 2015 (UTC)