Forlorn hope is possibly a musical pun drawn from the text of lacrimae, where the the two cadences under the words forlorn and hope in the song pivot a half step apart, and settle a half step apart, as in "mi fa morire" of lasso vita mia. dt
At 03:10 AM 6/2/2008, you wrote: >This has been covered before, see: > >http://www.mail-archive.com/lute@cs.dartmouth.edu/msg22831.html > >G. > >----- Original Message ----- From: "Peter Jones-RR" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: "lute@cs.dartmouth.edu" <Lute@cs.dartmouth.edu> >Sent: Monday, June 02, 2008 10:01 AM >Subject: [LUTE] Forlorn Hope > > >Dear Luters, > >I played a concert with a singer on Saturday and was chatting to a >member of the audience afterwards who had an interest in military >history. He was interested in title of the Forlorn Hope Fancy by Dowland >and told me something I didn't know about it. Apparently, the Forlorn >Hope was a term for the front guard of foot soldiers used as storming >troops (essentially cannon fodder). Young and ambitious officers were >often keen to lead the Forlorn Hope because if they survived they were >guaranteed promotion. I've copied below the OED entry. > >Does this lend a programmatic streak to the famous Dowland work? Is the >sudden whirling fast passage at the end a battaglia-style depiction of >the Forlorn Hope being massacred? Who knows... > >OED: > >[ad. Du. verloren hoop (in Kilian 1598), lit. 'lost troop' (hoop = HEAP, >Ger. haufen). Cf. Fr. enfants perdus. (Among sailors mispronounced >flowing hope.)] > >1. In early use, a picked body of men, detached to the front to begin >the attack; a body of skirmishers. Now usually, a storming party. > In the 17th c. sometimes applied to the rear-guard. > >1579 DIGGES Stratiot. 102 He must also so order the Forlorn hope in ye >front of hys Battayle with new supplies. 1581 STYWARD Mart. Discipl. II. >136 The which the Germaine calls, their Forlorne hoope. 1600 J. DYMMOK >Ireland (1841) 32 Before the vantguarde marched the forlorn hope. 1642 >True State Ireland 5 Likewise for the forlorn hope of the Rear, Captain >Pate commanded 40 Dragooners. 1678 tr. Gaya's Art of War II. 74 Called >the Forlorn Hope, because they..fall on first, and make a Passage for >the rest. 1799 WELLINGTON in Gurw. Desp. I. 31 The forlorn hope of each >attack consisted of a sergeant and twelve Europeans. 1874 L. STEPHEN >Hours Libr. (1892) I. vii. 245 Compelled to lead a forlorn hope up the >scaling ladders. > >b. transf. and fig., chiefly of persons in a desperate condition. > >c1572 GASCOIGNE Fruits Warre (1831) 211 The forlorne hope which haue set >vp their rest By rash expense, and knowe not howe to liue. 1572 J. JONES >Bathes of Bath Pref. 3 A booteless matter to perswade the forlorn hope, >suche as have decreed to caste awaye them selves. a1661 FULLER Worthies >(1840) II. 11 [Object of Christ's descent into hell] To preach, useless >where his auditory was all the forlorn hope. 1698 FRYER Acc. E. India & >P. 128 The busy apes, the Forlorn hope of these declining Woods, deeming >no place safe where they beheld us. > >c. pl. The men composing such a body; hence, reckless bravos. > >1539 TONSTALL Serm. Palm Sund. (1823) 67 To make this realme a praye to >al..spoylers, all snaphanses, all forlornehopes, all cormerauntes. c1645 >TULLIE Siege of Carlisle (1840) 31 Toppam had ye honour of ye forlorn >hopes, and gave them a gallant charge. 1867 SMYTH Sailor's Word-bk., >Forlorn-hopes was a term formerly applied to the videttes of the army. > >d. A perilous or desperate enterprise. > >1768 J. BYRON Narr. Wager (1778) 89 We saw them a little after, setting >out upon their forlorn hope, and helping one another over..rocks. 1771 >Junius Lett. lix. 311 The wary..never went upon a forlorn hope. > >2. slang. a. The losers at a gaming-table. b. (See quot. 1785.) > >1608 DEKKER Lanthorne & Candle-light Dij, They that sit downe to play, >are at first called Leaders. They that loose, are the Forlorne Hope. >a1700 B. E. Dict. Cant. Crew, Forlorn Hope, losing Gamesters. 1785 GROSE >Dict. Vulg. Tongue, Forlorn hope, a gamester's last stake. > >3. With word-play or misapprehension of the etymology: A faint hope, a >'hope against hope'; an enterprise which has little chance of success. > >1641 J. SHUTE Sarah & Hagar (1649) 108 If we sin, upon a presumption >that we shall conceal either our actions or persons from God, it is a >forlorn hope; our iniquities will finde us out. 1806-7 J. BERESFORD >Miseries Hum. Life (1826) II. xxi, In hopes of making your hearer think >that you had been only singing all the while. A forlorn hope indeed. >1885 Harper's Mag. Mar. 594/1 She had had a forlorn hope of a letter, >but it had died away. > > >Peter Jones | Room 23 | BBC Maida Vale | 0207 765 2207 | >[EMAIL PROTECTED] | > > >http://www.bbc.co.uk/ >This e-mail (and any attachments) is confidential and may contain >personal views which are not the views of the BBC unless specifically stated. >If you have received it in error, please delete it from your system. >Do not use, copy or disclose the information in any way nor act in >reliance on it and notify the sender immediately. >Please note that the BBC monitors e-mails sent or received. >Further communication will signify your consent to this. > > > > >To get on or off this list see list information at >http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html > > > >-- >No virus found in this incoming message. >Checked by AVG. >Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.24.4/1478 - Release Date: >02.06.2008 07:12 > >
