Who is Sylvia? (c) 2011 Mattroi Berger
Here’s a track I wrote for Beth Lopes’ production on Two Gentlemen of Verona, going up next month out at UC Irvine. She asked for a Mraz-y, Mayer-ish sort of acoustic jam. I tried to avoid slipping too far into parody, though, given the scene in which the song appears, I think I’ve landed upon an appropriate level of schmatzy douchery.
I’ve included the chords below - something I plan on doing more often - just in case anyone wants to play along. (Do people do that?)
Also, almost exactly two years ago I wrote a handful of flamenco songs for Beth’s production of Lorca in a Green Dress. Still pretty proud of those. So. You know. Check ‘em out?
Music by Mattroi
Lyrics by Shakespeare
***
[GD]
Who is Silvia? what is she,
That all our swains commend her?
Holy, fair, and wise is she;
The heaven such grace did lend her,
[ABG]
That she might admirèd be.
[DG]
Is she kind as she is fair?
For beauty lives with kindness.
Love doth to her eyes repair,
To help him of his blindness,
[ABG]
And, being helped, inhabits there.
[GD]
Then to Silvia let us sing,
That Silvia is excelling;
She excels each mortal thing
Upon the dull earth dwelling:
[ABG]
To her let us garlands bring.
