Editing Masque (section)

==Later masques==
With the renaissance of English musical composition during the late 19th and early 20th century (the so-called [[English Musical Renaissance]]), English composers turned to the masque as a way of connecting to a genuinely English musical-dramatic form in their attempts to build a historically informed national musical style for England. Examples include those by [[Arthur Sullivan]], [[George Macfarren]], and even [[Edward Elgar]], whose imperialistic ''[[The Crown of India]]'' was the central feature at the London Coliseum in 2005. Masques also became common as scenes in operettas and musical theatre works set during the Elizabethan period.

In the 20th century, [[Ralph Vaughan Williams]] wrote several masques, including his masterpiece in the genre, ''[[Job, a masque for dancing]]'' which premiered in 1930, although the work is closer to a [[ballet]] than a masque as it was originally understood. His designating it a masque was to indicate that the modern [[choreography]] typical when he wrote the piece would not be suitable. Vaughan Williams' protégé [[Elizabeth Maconchy]] composed a masque, ''The Birds'' (1967–68), an "extravaganza" after [[Aristophanes]].

[[Constant Lambert]] also wrote a piece he called a masque, ''Summer's Last Will and Testament'', for orchestra, chorus and baritone. His title he took from [[Thomas Nash (relative of Shakespeare)|Thomas Nash]], whose masque<ref>It was a "comedy" when it was printed, in 1600 as ''A Pleasant Comedie, call'd Summers Last will and Testament''<!--correct as entered-->, but, as a character announces, "nay, 'tis no Play neither, but a show." With Nash's stage direction ''"Enter Summer, leaning on Autumn's and Winter's shoulders, and attended on with a train of Satyrs and wood-Nymphs, singing: [[Vertumnus]] also following him"'' we are recognizably in the world of Masque.</ref> was probably first presented before the [[Archbishop of Canterbury]], perhaps at his London seat, [[Lambeth Palace]], in 1592.