Description

John Dowland (c. 1563 – 1626) was an English Renaissance composer, lutenist, and singer. These four songs of his have all been performed by me with various singers so I can vouch for their ‘playabilty’. Dowland’s songs divide roughly into two groups verse songs, with a simpler accompaniment and normally in a lighter vein, and through composed songs where the accompaniment follows the lyric with minimum repetition and much variation. Part 2 comprises the through composed songs which are melancholic in character and are the ones for which Dowland is justly famous today. They are complex, use imitation, modulation and counterpoint and are unique for the era. Dowland was the first singer/songwriter to achieve fame in his lifetime and was known all over Europe.  The songs in this publication are Flow My Tears and Sorrow, Stay.