1. infantia
At first the infant, mewling and puking in the nurse's arms;
Three Blind Mice - soprano, tenor, baritone - Ravenscroft
Derrie ding ding dasson (from Melismata) - audience - Ravenscroft
Ring around the rosie - soprano, garklein recorder - Anonymous (14th century)
O ye tender babes - great bass recorder and harp - Tallis (c.1505-1585)
2. pueritas
Then the whining school-boy, with his satchel and shining morning face creeping like snail unwilling to school.
When that I was a tine little boy (from Twelfth Night) - recorder, lute - Anonymous
Fond youth is a bubble - soprano, alto and bass recorders, bass transverse flute - Tallis
O admirablile veneris idolum - soprano, rebec, Vatican Ms. 3327 (10th century)
3. adolescentia
...And then the lover, sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad made to his mistress' eyebrow.
Pastime with good company - vocal trio, recorders, sacbut, zink - Henry VIII (1491-1547)
I am athirst (from Pamelia) - audience - Ravenscroft
Courtier's good morrow to his mistress - soprano, recorders, gamba - Ravenscroft
Bobbing Joe - dancers - Playford (1623-1686)
Greensleeves - lute - Anonymous (16th century)
Pase el agoa - soprano, recorder quartet - Anonymous (16th century)
Sephardic Song: Una hija tiene el rey - soprano, lute, recorder, finger cymbals - Anon. (16th century)
La belle se siet - soprano, tenor recorder, gamba - Dufay (died 1474)
Douce dame - ensemble - Machaut (c.1300-1377)
4. inventus
Then a soldier, full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard, jealous in honour,
sudden and quick in quarrel, seeking the bubble reputation even in the cannon's mouth.
Amor vittorioso - soprano, recorders, gamba - Gastoldi (c.1550-1622)
Three ravens - soprano, lute, vocal quartet - Ravenscroft
War Branle - dancers, ensemble - Arbeau
5. virilitas
And then the justice, in fair round belly with good capon lin'd.
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut full of wise saws and modern instances;
and so he plays the part.
Nessun ponga speranza - organetto, harp, bass recorder - Landini (1325-1397)
Though you are young and I am old - soprano, harpsichord - Campion (1567-1620)
6. senectus
The sixth age shifts into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon, with spectacles on nose and pouch on side;
his youthful hose, well sav'd a world too wide for his shrunk shank;
and his big manly voice, turning again toward childish treble, pipes and whistles in his sound.
Mille regretz - soprano, tenor, bass and great bass recorders, gamba - Susato (died c.1564)
Chichilichi-Cucurucu - krummhorn trio - da Nola? (16th century)
Galliard: Weariness - dancer, tenor recorder, cornamuse, lute - Anonymous (16th century)
7. decrepitas
Last scene of all, that ends this strange eventful history, is second childishness and mere oblivion;
sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.
Die Weiber mit den Flohen - soprano, krummhorns, bass recorder, lute - Senfl (c.1488-1543)
His golden locks - soprano, recorders, gamba - Dowland (1563-1626)
Two Cantigas - Alfonso X (13th century)
Como hua moller - gemshorn
Nas mentes senpre teer - hurdy-gurdy
Hymn to St. Magnus - ensemble - (12th century)
Postscript
Ich spring an diesem ringe - ensemble - Lochaimer Liederbuch (mid-15th century)
In America...the seven ages of man have become preschooler, Pepsi generation,
baby boomer, mid-lifer, empty-nester, senior citizen, and organ donor. (Bill Cosby, Time Flies)