Category: Vocal Music / Guitar Music / Theater Music
Instrumentation: voice, guitar
Duration: approximately 8 minutes
Text / Source: Words by William Shakespeare, from Twelfth Night
Publisher: Les Productions d’Oz

Songs:
O Mistress Mine
Come Away, Come Away Death
I Am Gone Sir
When That I Was and a Little Tiny Boy

The Four Songs From Twelfth Night is a set of songs for voice and guitar using words by William Shakespeare from the romantic comedy Twelfth Night. The set includes O Mistress Mine, Come Away, Come Away Death, I Am Gone Sir, and When That I Was And A Little Tiny Boy, each reflecting a different aspect of Feste’s musical and theatrical role in the play.

The work bridges vocal music, guitar music, and theater music. Although the songs may function as art songs in recital, they are rooted in Shakespeare’s dramatic world and are closely connected to the character of the jester. The guitar accompaniment gives the set an intimate, flexible quality, while the theatrical source provides opportunities for characterization, humor, irony, and expressive contrast.

The songs range in mood and difficulty. O Mistress Mine is a lighthearted, folk-like, up-tempo love song. Come Away, Come Away Death is a tongue-in-cheek lament by a pathetic soul in love, written in two strophic verses with related introductory, interlude, and closing guitar music. I Am Gone Sir is a brief humorous song sung by the jester, through-composed but framed by recurring opening material. When That I Was And A Little Tiny Boy provides a fun, folk-like ending to the play, with the guitarist able to play either chords or a more fully written accompaniment.

Each song is written in a low key so that the guitarist may use a capo to raise the music as needed for the singer. This practical design makes the set adaptable for different voices while keeping the guitar writing accessible. Difficulty varies, with several songs suitable for easy or upper-beginning performers and Come Away, Come Away Death reaching lower-intermediate level for the guitarist.

The Four Songs From Twelfth Night is well suited for vocal recitals, guitar programs, Shakespeare-themed concerts, theater productions, and educational settings. The set was included in Wei TengFei’s 2024 doctoral thesis at Sejong University in Seoul, South Korea, A Study On The Role Of Feste From W. Shakespeare’s Romantic Comedy Twelfth Night And Compositional Trends Of Art Songs—Focusing On The Shakespearian Songs By E. Korngold, I. Hoiby, D. Amran And Garth Baxter, reflecting its relevance to both performance and scholarly study of Shakespearean song.