ABSTRACT
Robert Johnson is best known as the composer of solo vocal music for dramas produced by the King's Men, particularly those of Shakespeare. Johnson's music is available for many of his songs, and a dual analysis of the music and of the plays in which it occurs makes it possible to see how the composer veritably exploits the possibilities of the declamatory songs. Cymbeline contains two songs, both sung for Imogen. 'Hark, Hark, the Lark' is universally known as one of the most beautiful songs in Shakespeare's plays. Containing seven songs, three song fragments, and plentiful instrumental music, The Tempest is one of Shakespeare's most musical plays. 'Full Fadom Five' is commonly believed to have been composed for one of the first productions of the play. Ariel would most likely have been played by a boy soprano.
